


Big Girls Don't Die

by obsoletemachine



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Comics), Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bad Parenting, Canonical Child Abuse, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Violence, Dysfunctional Family, Eventual Fluff, Family Bonding, Family Drama, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, Spanking, Underage Drinking, be gay do crimes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:40:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 18
Words: 84,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27197290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obsoletemachine/pseuds/obsoletemachine
Summary: Origin story/kidnappers swap AU Gamora is kidnapped by Yondu and is raised by the ravagers. While Peter is turned into the most dangerous man in the galaxy by Thanos.I just really like space pirates :] kid fic with plot!!!
Comments: 9
Kudos: 34





	1. Long, Long, Way From Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Hey there Hello have you got someplace to go?
> 
> So I'm actually editing/reuploading this fic and I'll be posting every week until I catch up to where I stopped writing. Also!! I'm playing hard fast and loose with comic canon some of it's accurate but most of it's just not, sorry ^^;; my city now

The girl was glaring at Yondu like she was trying to set him on fire with her mind. If she needed to make him the villain, that was fine. He could be the scary pirate who ripped her away from her home. That role suited him more anyway. He was never a good man.

Regardless of what the brat thought of him, she would be safe here. All the other kids would go to Ego like lambs to the slaughter, but this one, this one Ego couldn't have. He would never get his hands on the girl for as long as there was still air in Yondu's lungs and blood in his veins. He would protect her. 

Kraglin interrupted Yondu's train of thought, "You speak any Constant girl?" 

Gamora was huddled in a ball, sitting as far away from them as physically possible. She was handcuffed to a bed inside the med bay. They had to sedate her because she wouldn't stop fighting the crew long enough for them to explain what was going on. She was a scrawny little thing, couldn't have been more than seven, maybe eight standard year cycles. Her maroon hair was pulled into twin buns and braided. Her matching outfit looked like it had been patched over by skilled hands, several times. Kraglin switches languages with ease, "What about Standard?" She turns her head slightly to look at him, and then quickly looks away. "Island Xandarian?" There was no response. Kraglin continues in Standard, "Alright, that's all I got. Should I hold her down and chip her, Captain?"

"Naw, I saw that look. You understand Standard just fine don't cha, girly." Yondu drawls out as he leans forward in his chair. 

She clenched her jaw, her lips curled into a vicious snarl as she glared them down. "Are you in charge?”

“I am.” Yondu continued in a mocking, whining tone, “Lemme guess, you wanna go home.”

“My mama can't pay the ransom." She states forcefully. Her eyes dart nervously between Kraglin and Yondu. “And I can read and write too.”

“What?” Kraglin muttered.

“Nobody wants an educated slave," Yondu clarified. A look of horror flashed across Kraglin's face but he was quick to conceal it. Yondu had been through this song and dance several times before. "I don't negotiate with useless little girls." 

Suddenly the handcuffs unlocked, Gamora reached towards Yondu's hoster expecting to find a blaster. In the same instant, Yondu whistles. The arrow leaves his holster. She gasped. It was hovering dangerously close to her eye. He stands up and slams his fist down on her head. He held back some, of course, but he still wanted it to hurt. "You damn brat!" Gamora yelped and covered her head with her hands. Yondu whistled again and the arrow returned to his holster. "Anybody else woulda spaced your ass for causin' half this much trouble!"

Gamora furrowed her brow and pursed her lips, "Spaced?"

"It's when they throw ya out an airlock and ya die." Kraglins casual tone made Yondu relax. "It's station rat slang."

The kid looked back at Yondu, "You're a rat man?"

"No! A station rat is someone who was born on a space station, but that ain't the point! The point is I should've killed you!" Yondu said, clearly exasperated.

"Why didn't you just say that?" Gamora frowned, "Standard is my second language."

Yondu burries his face in his hand and then rubs his temple. He takes a deep breath before he looks up again. "How didja get outta the handcuffs, girly?"

She moved her fist behind her back slowly, she looked over at Kraglin nervously. "My name isn't girly, it's Gamora." 

"Okay, Gamora, what's in your hand?" 

She leans away from him, narrowing her eyes, "Nothing." 

Yondu rolled his eyes. He grabs her arm and forced her fist open. A whimper escapes her lips as he handles her roughly. Yondu snorts, "You missin' some keys, Kraglin?"

Kraglin's eyes widened, he tapped his pockets, "Aw shit. You sneaky little–"Yondu tossed the keys to Kraglin. He returned them to his pocket.

"Maybe you ain't completely useless after all," Yondu mused. He assumed she must have learned how to pickpockets on the street. "Yeah, you've got potential, girly. You could be a decent ravager someday."

"No! I want to go home!"

"Of course you do." Yondu rolled his eyes and turned to Kraglin. "Assign her a bed and put her on the work schedule will ya? I'll get Hazira to make her some clothes. Lemme know if she gives ya any crap."

"Aye, Cap'n," Kraglin nodded. 

Gamora stands up, her hands balled into fists at her sides. "Let me go home! Please! You can't keep me here!"

"Oh well since you said please," Yondu said in deadpan.

"Really?"

"No." Yondu shoved Gamora back onto the bed. "I'm doing you a favor here, girly. Y'know how many kids would kill for a position on a wealthy ship?" Gamora glares at the floor, she grabs fistfuls of bedsheets. "Ya better be fuckin' grateful." And with that Yondu left the med bay. 

Kraglin collects the handcuffs and waves them at Gamora. "Do I need to handcuff you to the bed again or can ya sit quietly like a good girl?" She pulls her knees up to her chest and scowls at nothing. "Look, I don't like this either so let's not make it harder than it has to be, yeah?" When she still doesn't respond, Kraglin drops the handcuffs onto the foot of the bed and turns towards the small section of counter. He loaded the translator chip into the injector and prepared the pain killer. Kraglin saw movement in his peripheral vision. He tapped a button on his tablet to lock the med bay's doors. They shut in Gamora's face. "No, no, no!" She slammed her fist against the door. 

Kraglin sighed, "Ya just don't know when to give up, do you?" He set the injector down and fetched the handcuffs from the bed. "We're hundreds of light-years away from your home planet."

"That doesn't matter, I'll steal a ship," Her voice waivers.

Kraglin snorted, that idea was laughable, a pipe dream. "Even if you could, you're not a pilot." He crossed the room to stand behind her.

"I'll figure it out!" The kid picked up a chair with surprising ease and lifted it over her head. 

"Don't break that!" Kraglin ripped it out of her hands. He set it down safely out of the way. "Even if you could find a pilot and steal a ship, where could you possibly go?"

Gamora's lower lip trembled. The kid pounded on the door again. Her fist left a dark bloodstain. "Shut up!"

He grabbed her fist trying to keep her from injuring herself further. "Do you really think you can outrun us? That we won't find you?"

"Just shut up!" Gamora turned and punched Kraglin in the stomach. He took a step back, surprised by how much it actually hurt. She might have even bruised him. 

Gamora tried to hit him again but Kraglin grabbed her wrist. She struggles against him. She pulls one hand free and hits him again. Kraglin blocks her tiny punches easily, letting her wear herself out. She hits his chest and then leaves her hand there. She clings to Kraglin's shirt. Anger suddenly gives way to sadness, as she breaks down sobbing. She leans against his chest as she cries. Her knuckles are cut open and her wrists are red and sore from the handcuffs. Kraglin is confronted by how vulnerable she was. Even with all that strength, she was still terribly fragile. "I want my mama. I want mama." She keeps repeating the words over and over.

Kraglin gently pries her hands off his shirt and leads her back to the bed. She sits down without being told to. Kraglin isn't sure how to comfort her and tries to remember what his old quartermaster did to comfort him. He grabs a tissue from the bedside table and wipes away her tears. Gamora takes uneven, shaky breaths. Gef laughed, "Ain't that precious?" He pulled back the curtains that gave the beds the illusion of privacy. All the commotion must have woken him up.

Kraglin resisted the urge to roll his eyes, "Shut up Gef." She was a child, she was allowed to be sad. Gamora rubs at her eyes, desperately trying to pull herself together.

"You got stuck babysitting again?" Gef gestured towards the kid, it wasn't really a question.

As the first mate, Kraglin had to oversee all cargo handling, this included ensuring their live cargo got to Ego undamaged. It felt natural to dote on Gamora, too. "My whole job is babysitting you a-holes," Kraglin muttered. He takes one of Gamora's hands examining her knuckles.

Gef took it lightly, maybe it was all the painkillers putting him in a good mood. "We ain't children."

"I know that she listens to me." Gef looked confused but Kraglin didn't feel like explaining it to him. Kraglin grabs alcohol, cotton swabs, and bandages from the cabinet, before sitting down across from her. Gamora hissed and tried to pull her hand away, as Kraglin cleaned her wounds. "Stop you're crying. You brought this on yourself, actin' like that," He scolds her quietly.

Gamora fidgets, "It stings! And I'm not crying!" She sniffles loudly and blinks back tears.

"Oh, that's real convincin'," Gef snickers at her.

"Remind me to teach you how to lie sometime, donut head." Kraglin chuckled. She allowed him to bandage up her knuckles.

Gamora tugged at her twin buns, self consciously. "They're not donuts."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," She narrowed her eyes at him, "Are you teasing me?"

"I would never do that," Kraglin deadpanned.

He rolls his chair over to the counter and grabs the injector and the painkiller. Gamora sees the needle, and her eyes go wide with panic. She scrambles back as Kraglin comes closer. Her back is pressed up against the headboard of the bed. Kraglin rolls his eyes, "Don't look at me like that. If I wanted ta hurt cha I woulda done it already." He tossed the injector onto the bed. "Ya know what that is?"

Gamora cautiously picks it up, slowly rotating it in her hands as she inspected it. "Um, it looks like... a universal translation chip, a fancy one too. How much did this cost?"

Kraglin shrugged, "Three hundred units, maybe."

"Three–three hundred units?!" Gamora's eyes went wide, she dropped the injector onto the bed. She started counting on her fingers, "I could buy 80 cakes with that. No–no wait–85 cakes! That's food for two months! Maybe three if we rationed," She muttered to herself. Kraglin didn't have the heart to tell her that wasn't a lot of units.

"It needs ta go into the back a' your neck," Kraglin explained. "Wasn't doin' nothin' bad."

"Hurts like hell, though," Gef grunted.

"That's very helpful, Gef, thank you," Kraglin mutters sarcastically. Gamora narrows her eyes at the injector, refusing to get any closer to Kraglin. He sighs heavily, "You ain't leavin' this room until you're chipped, donut head." 

"They're not donuts!" Gamora snapped at him.

He shrugs and picks up the injector, "I've got a pain killer here for ya. It ain't that bad." Gamora looked at the door, but her mind was elsewhere. She sighed and moved closer to him. Kraglin injected the chip.

To say that lodging a piece of metal into your spinal cord was an unpleasant experience would be a dramatic understatement. Gamora clapped a hand over the back of her neck. There was a screaming pain in the base of her skull that burned all the way down her spine. It felt like she had been shot. Her nails dug into the palm of hands until they drew blood. She felt a pinch as Kraglin injected something into her neck. A moment later, the pain started to fade. Her muscles relaxed, she felt numb. Gamora focused on her breathing, she blinked her eyes back into focus. She slapped Kraglin's arm, "You liar! That hurt a lot!" 

Get chuckles as Kraglin fends her off. "You're fine," he almost called her a baby before she remembered that she was one. He let the kid rest while he cleaned up a bit. Kraglin had considered leaving the mess but decided the earful he'd get from Brahl wasn't worth it. Kraglin wanted to stay on Brahl's good side if he could help it. He was the only one on the ship with any real medical training. Kraglin unnlocked the door. He touched Gamora's shoulder to get her attention. "Kid, let's go."

She slid off the bed, "Where are we going?"

Kraglin opened a map of the ship on his tablet and handed it to her, "Here." He pointed towards the Mess deck. "And all the way," he started to move the hologram quickly, "Over here," He stopped over the lowest level of their quarter deck and zoomed in. "Is where you're sleeping. Memorize the number, all them cabins look the same." Kraglin was using the term cabin, loosely. It was more like a closet with two bunks shoved inside.

"I get my own room!?" Her excitement was written all over her face.

Kraglin bites back a smile, "You're sharing it. Living space is tight here." "Do I get my own bed?" He nodded, "Of course." He leads them out of the med bay and down the hall. "Memorize the map the best ya can. Startin' tomorrow you'll be helping out the cooks in the galley." He made Gamora walk in front of him so he could keep an eye on her.

"What's a galley?"

"Uh, " He frowned, "it's the room attached ta the Mess deck, where they cook. I think y'all call it a kitchen."

Gamora nearly smiles, "Oh! I know what a kitchen is." She hadn't realized how massive the ship was until she was staring at the map. It could house and feed a small town. The ship was broken down into several different quadrants, the living quadrant was the smallest. The catwalk wasn't technically a quadrant but it was the largest section by far. It was a maze that stretched through the center of the ship. If Gamora leaned over the railing she could see all the way down to the underbelly. Pipes and machinery wove around each other into the blackness.

Kraglin shoves her forward sharply and in the next second catches her. "Don't fall."

Gamora shrieks at the sudden sensation of falling forward. She grabs onto the railing of the catwalk. Her face turned red when she realized what had happened. "You jerk! Don't do that!" She shoves him.

Kraglin chuckles, he takes his tablet back and hits her over the head with it. "Stop dawdling, then."

She whines and rubs the sore spot. "Don't hit me! I'm walking as fast as I can."

The Mess deck was what they called the cafeteria. There was a smaller room connected to both the cafeteria and the kitchen, with a buffet set up. There was a door beyond that, that leads into the galley. Gamora sat down at the table closest to the entrance to the Mess deck. They were early for dinner so the room was mostly empty. The crew working the graveyard shift lingered around the coffee machine. Kraglin spots Brahl in the group and leaves Gamora alone at the table. "Hey doc, you know what a Zen-Whoberisian can eat?"

"I can make an educated guess based on their biology," Brahl stated.

"So, yes?" Kraglin clarified, and Brahl shrugged.

He glanced over at Gamora, "That the new cargo?"

"She ain't cargo. Captain had me design her a jacket." Hazira's laughter was melodic. Kraglin reached for the bag of clothes but the tailor held it out of his reach. "What does our dear Captain want with a sweet lil' thing like that?"

"That's need-to-know information, Zira," Kraglin said flatly.

"So you don't know either." Brahl chuckled.

"Awe, and I thought you two were besties." Hazira mocked him.

Brahl was right, but Kraglin didn't like his tone. "If I tell Zira the whole ship would know by morning."

"Hey!" Hazira pursed her lips, and put two hands on her hip but then dropped them to her side. "Yeah nevermind, that's fair."

Kraglin nearly had to drag Brahl away from the coffee machine. Brahl wandered down the buffet pointing out what was safe for Gamora to eat. They served food from too many different planets for Kraglin to keep track of what was safe to eat and what was mildly poisonous. He found a yellow heavily processed sweet bread. He guessed they were those cakes the kid was yammering on about and put a few on the plate. 

When Kraglin returned to the table, Gamora was gleefully digging through the bag of clothes. The ravager jacket was lying discarded on the chair next to her. "Look! Look! Hazira made these for me! I got a pretty dress and these sweaters, and pajamas, and, and–!"

"I know, that's her job." Kraglin tried not to smile, it was adorable the way she got worked up over the little things. He wasn't made of stone, damn it.

"And they're brand new!" She pulled out a soft gray sweater. Hazira had hand-stitched fluffy cartoon creatures into it. "They're so pretty! She made these for me." The kid hugged the bag to her chest.

Kraglin set the tray down in front of her. "Here, eat." He pulls a flask out of his jacket and pours a little into her fruit juice hoping the alcohol would calm her down some. He pours vodka into his cup with a splash of fruit juice.

Gamora slowly set the bag down on the seat next to her. She stared at the stack of cakes on her plate. Three days' worth of food, for one meal. Gamora's hands were trembling as she picked up a fork. She thought about every meal she'd eaten alone. Every time her family had to ration food, or when her mother didn't eat so Gamora could. This was the first time someone sat at a table with her to eat, and it was them. The people who kidnapped her. She would feel terrible if she let all this food go waste. She takes a small bite. "This isn't fair." Her vision blurred and she pressed the palms of her hands into her eyes. 

Kraglin looked confused, "The food can't taste that bad."

Gamora sniffed and wiped her nose on the back of her sleeve. Kraglin handed her some napkins. "No, it's good. It's really good." She took another bite. She's not going to cry.

The mess was getting crowded. Yondu was making his rounds to check on the crew when he stopped at their table. "Aw hell, Krags whaddya do ta her?"

"I didn't do nothin'." Kraglin poked at his meal. "Says she's crying 'cause the food's good."

"That's not it." Something inside her snapped. All the tears, anger, and guilt came out at once. Her meltdown felt all too familiar to Yondu. "Mama tells me you have to work to eat, and I–I haven't done anything. Mama will be cold and hungry while I get to eat this meal, and sleep in my own bed. It's not fair! You kidnapped me! I should hate you but you're being so nice to me. Why are you being so nice to me? I don't understand, I just don't understand." Gamora slumped in her chair as she sobbed. She didn't have the energy to care if they saw her upset.

The chair scraped against the floor as Yondu sat down next to her. He seemed to stare at nothing for a while, trying to decide what to say. What could he say? "This ain't being nice. This is the bare minimum. Even prisoners get food, shelter an' clothes."

Gamora takes a deep, shuddering breath, as she tries to get a hold of herself. Her bloodshot eyes bore into Yondu accusingly, "Is that what I am, your prisoner?"

"No. I toldja that this was a job offer," Yondu said sternly.

"But you won't let me go home," Gamora whines.

"I ain't gonna help ya get home. You're welcome ta leave the ship whenever ya like, the nearest airlock is that way." He points towards the door, and Kraglin chuckles. Gamora glares at the food in front of her. "But… if ya want to pay me back, put on the damn jacket and stop brooding." Yondu picks up the jacket and holds it out for Gamora. She touched the soft leather, it was heavier than she thought it would be. Gamora unfolded the jacket, as she considered it.

The promise of regular hot meals and a soft bed was very alluring, but it still felt like a betrayal to her mother. She was still waiting for Gamora to come home. She probably thought Gamora had wandered down to the docks again to find work, even after her mother had chastised her and told her not to. Gamora's stomach growls, she wants to eat. She pulls on the red leather jacket. "Atta girl," Yondu mutters.

"I'm only going to work until I find a way out of here. I won't forgive you. I hate you."

Yondu chuckled, the girl was stubborn as hell. "I should've spaced your ass, girly! I take you in, give you a job, and you're still a brat. You owe me your life."

"That's not how that works," Gamora grumbled, "You don't save somebody's life by not killing them." Yondu chuckled again, before standing up and leaving. A full minute later she whispered to Kraglin, "Wait, was he teasing me?"

Kraglin laughed into his drink, "Oh no, he's fully serious." Gamora didn't look convinced. She turned back to her plate. This wouldn't be forever. She was going to go home to her mother. No matter what it took.


	2. The Joker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter's POV

Thanos spared no expense when it came to his fleet of warships, it was an audacious display of ludicrous wealth and power. They are famous throughout the galaxy for being the harbingers of death and destruction. Those who had been unlucky enough to see the war fleet in person, said that the last thing you see is the massive black ships blotting out the sun before Thanos destroyed the planet. It was that reputation that convinced warlords like Ronan the Accuser to work with Thanos. Despite the warship's monstrous reputation, the inside was cozy, warm even. The quarter deck felt like a luxurious hotel from Titan's fallen homeworld. To Peter, it was a soft place to land but it could never be a home.

He had arrived at the conference room early and was waiting for the meeting to start. He sat in a random seat watching the local news on his transmitter. The pretty newscaster was speaking in fast Standard, Peter followed along easily. Someone had been broadcasting security footage to the common channels during the Rho mission. The footage was low quality, glitching occasionally. A group of civilians, several families with children, are cut down by a figure hidden in shadows. What's left of their bodies litter the floor, blood and meat are splattered on the walls. There's a white glowing ring around the pupils of the killer. She looks into the camera before the broadcast cuts to static. They were calling her the Reaper of Rho. Those same eyes glare at him but despite her best efforts, they carry no real malice. Nebula pushes his transmitter down, leaning into his personal space. “Peter, you're not listening to me!”

“Sorry,” Peter exhales slowly and chuckles. ”What are you whining about?” 

“I'm ten now, I don't whine.” Nebula puts her hands on her hips. “I want you to trade jobs with me. Ever since Rho, dad has been giving you all the good jobs.”

Peter tilts his head to the side, pocketing his transmitter. “There are good jobs? No one told me.”

“You're deflecting, I hate it when you do that.” Nebula sighs, taking a step away from him. “I'm stuck guarding the white coat, again.” 

“Well, if the great Reaper of Rho is too weak to handle one little escort mission, I guess I could take it off your hands.” Peter tries not to smile.

“I’m stronger than you, Peter, I don't need to hide behind all those shiny toys.” She snaps waving a hand at the holstered gun. “This is grunt work, I could do it in my sleep!” 

Peter chuckles, “I think you just had a Marty Mcfly chicken moment, there.” 

“You're insufferable,” Nebula says and Peter clucks like a chicken at her. The corpse in the white coat clears his throat and they turn to look at him. He's standing awkwardly in the doorway of the meeting room. “You must be Dr. Morgan. I'm Nebula and this is Thanos’ dog, Peter.” 

“It's nice to meet you both,” he says.

“That was mean Neb! They called you a dog too.” Peter winces at the nickname, “if you apologize, maybe I’ll trade jobs with you.” Nebula jerks her head to the side, tensing slightly. She whispers her apology and Peter pretends he can't hear her, “repeat that.”

“I said I'm sorry!” It sounds like it's physically painful for her to say.

Peter grins, "Wow, after all this time you can actually apologize. I didn't know robots could have feelings! I always thought you would short-circuit and die. This must be–" Nebula snaps and throws a punch. "Agh!" Peter barely manages to avoid it. His chair topples over sending him sprawling onto the floor. 

"Do you ever shut up!?"

"You've lived with me for 3 years and you haven't figured out that the answer is: No!?" Peter giggles and stands up. Nebula yells an outrage and punches him again. This one connects with his shoulder. It shoves him back a step. She takes another swing, but Peter darts around the table. Her fist slams into the wall, denting the bulkhead. 

Nebula chases Peter around the table, he manages to keep the distance between them. With luck, Nebula would run out of energy before she had a chance to beat him to a pulp. They're brought to a halt when Nebula turns to run the other way and Peter immediately does the same. "Stop running away!"

"I would prefer not to, thanks!" Peter yells back unable to keep the grin from his face. Nebula snarls, and moves to dive over the table. "Oh shit." Peter bolts towards the only exit.

Without the table between them, Nebula nearly catches him. He won't make it to the door. Instead, Peter darts behind the white coat. Nebula throws a punch but freezes when the white coat is suddenly in the way. She darts around the white coat but so does Peter. They're running in circles again. She can't touch him without also hurting the white coat. "Ah! You're using Dr. Morgan as a meat shield, that's cheating!" She stomps her foot in outrage.

"Uh," a voice calls from the hallway.

"It is not! I'm just using my environment to my advantage!" Peter says in a terrible impression of Proxima Midnight, their combat tutor.

"It's cowardly! You know if I break dad's scientist he'll be angry with me!" Nebula fumes. 

"Excuse me?" 

"What!?" Her head snaps around to glare at the corpses in jackboots. There's a group of them. They were cowering behind the one with rank and title. 

The jackboot clears their throat. "Sorry, miss. The meeting will be starting soon…." 

Nebula turns a touch purple. She punches the wall again, then she inhales deeply, holds it for a few seconds, and exhales. She stands at attention and nods. "Right. I'll sit down."

Peter sighs, knowing the fun was over. "I'm gonna make some tea. You want any, Neb?"

Nebula stares at him with a blank look on her face. Peter muses that she wanted to argue more, but now she had to act like a daughter of Thanos. “Oh, sure,” she sighs, falling into the chair traditionally reserved for the captain. 

The jackboots file into the room to take their seats as Peter boils water. He likes the time they spent traveling during missions. Even traveling at light speed it took weeks to go anywhere. He could pretend his life was somewhat normal when it was only him and his siblings on a ship. There were no aprons to keep him from making his own tea and no strict training regiment. He pours the tea into two mugs, adding extra sweetener to one. The smell makes his chest hurt and it takes him a minute to realize he's sad, Lightvale tea was Heather's favorite. Heather Douglas was their youngest sister, she couldn't go on missions yet.

“Thanks,” he sets the tea down in front of Nebula. Peter leans against the door frame, sipping his tea leisurely as the meeting begins. The jackboots go over the plan while speaking sternly and pointing fingers at each other. His attention drifts to the fake window, it was a looping video of R Aquarii. He remembers someone had told him it was a solar system with two stars in a symbiotic relationship, whatever that meant. His attention is grabbed by a hologram of the science vessel carrying their target, he remembers he’s supposed to be listening. “...would rather destroy the ship than lose the target.” Nebula said, leaning forward to manipulate the hologram. “Peter will board the ship–” 

“After Neb," Peter interrupts her. She looks up at him with anger and then confusion. Peter waved his mug at the hologram. "I’ll get the white coat to the thingamajig, so he can retrieve it in one piece. Neb will keep them from blowing up the ship.” 

There was lots of confused muttering and pointed looks in his direction. “Peter will protect Dr. Morgan so he can retrieve the target. That's all you had to say!” Nebula snaps at him, but he can tell that she's trying not to smile.

Peter shrugged, “I don't see what's so hard to understand.” Nebula looked like she wanted to say more but the meeting resumed. Peter makes faces at her for the rest of the meeting. These meetings were so boring and dull, he wonders why he bothers attending. 

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

Thanos’ destroyer shutters as somewhere within, missiles are fired at the enemy warships. The white coat leans against the wall trying to steady himself. Nebula was pacing between the armory and the airlock like a tiger pacing her cage. The ship shuttered again. Peter pulls a large blaster off the wall, it was easily twice his size. Nebula stops outside the doorway, “you don't need that.”

“Nobody needs an LC800,” Peter grins loading rounds into the blaster, “they're fun!”

“Would it kill you to take this seriously?” Nebula turned to pace back to the airlock. Peter ignores her strapping the larger blaster to his back. He carefully loads a new magazine into his handgun. “Won't be long now,” Nebula says to herself. She was watching the battle through the glass doors of the airlock. Peter grabbed a spare atmosphere suit and joined Nebula. The white coat was standing near the airlock, they had an atmo suit clipped to their bulletproof vest.

Nebula activated her suit and stepped into the airlock. “Have fun storming the castle!” Peter chirped, Nebula punches the button to open the door. There's a hint of a smile as she's yanked out into space. Peter turns on his transmitter, opening the channel he shared with Nebula. The wreckage of the warships escorting the science vessel obscured the light of a nearby star. Streaks of red flame erupted from the vessel moving towards Nebula. Peter laughed, “Is she shooting at us?"

"Yes, it's adorable, really." Nebula's reply comes through the transmitter. Peter can hear the smile in her voice. The destroyer retaliated, the missiles crashed into each other in a fiery explosion. Nebula disappeared into the smoke. The white coat tightened his grip on the tool bag until his knuckles turned white. 

Peter activates his atmosphere suit, "Let's go."

“While they're still shooting at us?!” The white coat backpedaled until he was pressed up against the wall. 

What a pain. Peter never intended to give him a choice. He activates the white coat's atmo suit and opens the inner airlock doors. They're yanked into space with a pop of air. Peter grabs the white coat by the back of his shirt, as Peter's rocket boots click on. There was a blinding explosion to their right as a missile shot past overhead. They fly through the smoke as another missile flies directly at them. In one swift motion, Peter shoulders the LC800 and fires it. A multi-colored laser with a burning white center erupts from the blaster smashing into the target. Peter is thrown back as the missile explodes, his shoulder slams into the white coat's chest.

"That was so cool!" Peter can't help but laugh. They're thrown in the wrong direction, doing somersaults in the air. He flickers his boots on and off until he stops spinning. He grabs the white coat and flies towards the science vessel. Peter hits the ship hard rolling forward. The rockets click off and the magnets click on. It keeps him from floating away. 

The white coat is sitting on the haul, nearly hyperventilating. He's going to use up all of his air like that. Peter knew he should do something. Neb would get in trouble if Thanos' nerd died. But Peter couldn't bring himself to care. If the white coat didn't die here, Thanos would kill him after he stopped being useful. The white coat was dead the moment he signed up to work under Thanos. Peter gives the white coat time to decide if he wants to die now or later. It's terribly boring. Peter aims the blaster at another missile and laughs gleefully when the laser finds its mark. There's an explosion of color and light. It reminds him of watching the 4th of July fireworks with his mama. “I've gotta get me one of these babies!”

The white coat decided to die later, and stopped hyperventilating. They wince and stand up. They say something but Peter is more interested in the laser. He shoots another one of the missiles. There's a whirring sound echoing from deep within the science vessel. The lights around the airlock shut down, and the missiles disappeared from the sky. An irritating voice chirps in his ear. “Peter, you better not be messing around! I'm already done!.”

Peter let's go of the cannon and it floats behind him as he moves towards the airlock. The white coat follows him. Peter blows a raspberry, “I would have you know that I'm working very hard, Neb.” 

"I bet you're not even inside the ship yet."

"I am too!" He had to manually close the door and pressurize the chamber. The door opens revealing a long dark hallway, three guards lay dead in a pool of their own blood. The emergency lights pulse creating ripples of blue light, the red glow from Peter's mask washes everything in purple. Peter steps over corpses, drawing his handgun as he checks the hallway. The white coat tries to step around them. There was an uncomfortable squishing sound. He staggers forward and pukes. “Jesus Christ! Watch it, man!” Peter jumps out of the way.

The white coat was leaning against a wall as if he might collapse at any moment. “My name is Dr. Morgan,”

“No, that's not–I wasn’t,” Peter stammers and then smirks, “Nevermind. I'm surrounded by philistines. Can you walk?” 

The white coat nods, he keeps one hand on the wall as Peter scouts ahead. He signals for the white coat to stop, they crouch outside the door to the stairwell. Voices and footsteps are drawing closer, the white coat holds his breath. Peter ducks around the door frame. Seven total, he fires twice. A bullet rips through the skull of the first enemy. The second bullet pierces the enemy's eye. They drop like flies.

Peter pulls back to safety as the enemy returns fire. He grins, "bullseye!" They're firing at them with reckless abandon. The bullets turn the door into swiss cheese and it falls forward. Peter waits for them to reload. He darts into the stairwell and returns fire. He takes out three this time. He pushes the enemy back down the stairs as the white coat watches from a safe distance. The remaining two retreat to the lower level. 

“By the stars, what is that thing?!” The enemy shouts retreating down the hallway. 

Peter rolls his eyes. Something like irritation blooms in his heart. He wished he had his Walkman on him, but he had sworn off taking it on missions after it was destroyed for the 6th time. He couldn't take the heartbreak. “Some people call me the space cowboy." His voice echoes down the hallway. He skips down the steps four at a time, then dives and rolls to safety. He hums a little under his breath to keep calm.

“I've never heard of you space cowboy,” the first one grunts, before firing off a few rounds. They were shooting sparsely, it wouldn’t be long until they ran out of bullets.

“Some people call me the gangster of love,” Peter continues singing over the gunfire. He shoots the first one in the chest. His buddy pulls them into a nearby storage closet for cover. Not that it would do them any good. “Some people call me Maurice, ‘cause I speak of the pompitous of love.”

“Pompitous isn't a word,” The white coat says as he inched his way down the steps. Peter chuckles, the white coat was right, of course. It makes him feel a little better.

“No, no, oh gods!” The first guard cries out, “That's one of Thanos’ dogs of war! That's not a child it's a monster–”

"Shut up!" Peter leaped forward so he could get a clear shot on them. The first guards head splatters against the walls as he slumps over dead in the arms of his friend. The enemy started to beg as Peter stalks towards them. He grabs them by the collar and slams them to the floor. He puts his foot down on their throat. "I really hate that nickname." There was a satisfying crunch of bone and squish of meat. "I'm not anyone's dog.” 

Peter can feel the white coat staring at him with disgust. Peter was certain that the white coat would hate and fear him now. They all did. Peter pushes all the distracting bad feelings to the back of his mind. He tried to force a chuckle but only managed a sigh, “Neb gets all the cool nicknames it's not fair.” Peter replaces the magazine for his blaster. He walks down the hallway taking the lead again. The white coat follows at a distance. 

Peter stopped him in the corridor before engineering, there were two people guarding the door. They didn't notice Peter until it was too late. His movements were fast and methodical, it was barely a fight. Peter checked inside engineering, moving silently, “Clear!” he pulled the corpses out of the way, as the white coat entered. “This the target?” 

“She's beautiful.” A black sleek computer that was roughly the size of a refrigerator, sat dormant in the middle of the room. The white coat opened his tool bag and began disconnecting her from the ship.

Peter sat on top of the ship's navigation system and deactivated his mask. He swings his feet impatiently. “What does it do, exactly?”

“She’s a highly advanced artificial intelligence, designed to keep ships or space stations fully operational without a crew.” Peter got bored while they were talking and accidentally pulled a panel off the computer. He tried to hide it behind his back. The white coat raises their eyebrows at Peter. He holds out his hand expectantly, “Please don't break the work engineering genius. There are only three of them in existence.”

"Sorry," Peter smiles sheepishly and hands over the panel. The white coat attaches it quickly. Peter wonders if that meant the white coat wasn't afraid of him after all.

The white coat continues to work in silence for what feels like an eternity to Peter but in reality, is exactly five minutes, “Can it shoot lasers?” 

The white coat furrowed his eyebrows, “can it…shoot lasers?” The white coat stares at Peter dubiously and Peter nods his head. The white coat clears his throat, and smiles gently, "The Ai cannot shoot laser by itself. However, if she was piloting a warship it could."

The weight of that statement hung in the air. Of course, Thanos would find a way to ruin lasers. “Oh, uh thanks, white coat," was all Peter could think to say. 

"My name is Dr. Morgan, space cowboy." 

Peter giggles, and hums the song under his breath as he waits for Morgan to finish. The low gravity made it easy to transport the AI off the ship without too much hassle. It also helped that Peter had already killed most of the working crew. “Hey, Neb!” Peter sang into his transmitter, “got the target we’re heading back now.”

“It's about time, I'm dying of boredom,” Nebula said.

Morgan carried the AI up the steps. Peter skipped ahead, “Let's make things interesting then. I'll race you back, loser gets flambéed.”

“What do you mean flambéed?” Morgan asked and was ignored.

He was surprised to hear Nebula chuckle, “you sure? That white coat and their shiny calculator are dead weight.”

“Worried you’ll lose?” 

“I'll give you four minutes,” Nebula said, “I hope those cybernetic enhancements of yours can handle a little fire.” 

“Someone tell me what flambéed means!” Morgan yelled in a panic. That's when the emergency lights changed to red, and an alarm blared over the speakers. Four minutes remaining, a robotic voice said, evacuate immediately.

Peter took the AI from Morgan and took off at a jog. “It means you should run very fast!” Peter yelled to be heard over the alarms. “Let's go! Come on!” He sprints ahead. It was all a blur of movement and deafening noise. Morgan falls behind Peter very quickly. The wind tousled his hair. He can't keep himself from grinning. 

Three minutes, the ship said. 

As they rounded the corner Peter could see the airlock at the end of the hall. Nebula emerged from the hallway behind him. She moved with frightening speed, she caught up to him without trying. She slammed Peter into the side of the hall. He stumbled but regained his balance quickly. He shoved her back. It only slows her down a second. She shoves him again. They keep shoving each other and Peter starts giggling. As they get closer to the airlock, Nebula sprints ahead. Peter can't keep up. She darts inside the airlock first, punching the button to shut the door. Before Morgan could stop Peter, he threw the AI forward. It stopped the airlock door from slamming shut. The metal frame crunched under the weight of the doors, bending inward. It was probably fine. Peter dropped to his knees, sliding under the AI and into the airlock. He threw his arms into the air as he jumped up, “Safe!”

"Two minutes", the ship said, "please evacuate immediately." Morgan wasn't going to make it in time. He stumbled and fell.

"If we let him die here, Thanos will punish us for sure! Lemme go back for him!" Peter tries to push the inner airlock door open. It's too heavy. He's straining under the weight.

"There's not enough time! Thanos will find another scientist." Nebula clenched her fists at her side. She says something too soft to hear under the alarms.

Peter shakes his head. This white coat wasn't afraid of him but the next white coat might be. "No, I got an idea. Help me open the outer door!" Together they opened the outer door. Both inner and outer doors opened, everything was yanked out into the vacuum of space.

Morgan was shot out of the science vessel. It takes Peter a second to adjust to his surroundings. Nebula taps her atmo suit on and a second later so does Peter. Nebula flies over to Morgan and slaps his atmospheric suit on as well. He gasped for breath, as she pulled him towards the destroyer. Peter and the AI floated to his left. Then the science vessel exploded.

The force of the blast threw them at a deadly speed towards the destroyer. A burning white light engulfed everything, and Peter's skin felt warm. His shoulder was popped out of its socket as he hits the flight deck and rolls. The AI screeched to a halt as it slides across the deck. Nebula and Morgan crash into Peter. They skidded to a stop, landing in a tangled heap. Nebula and Peter were laughing and arguing about who won. Morgan lay on his back breathing deeply.

Peter pops his shoulder back into place and can feel his fractured bones healing already. Healing always hurts a little. “Hey doc, you still alive?” Peter leaned over him, he had deactivated his mask. Morgan watched with fascination as a bruise on Peter’s cheek faded until it disappeared. 

“Yeah,” Morgan's voice cracked, he swallowed and started again, “yeah, I'm alive.” 

Peter exhaled loudly, “oh thank god, Thanos would kill me if I broke his nerd.” Morgan chuckled, but something about the way Peter said it told him it wasn't a joke. “Ya know, you're not too bad for a white coat, Morgan.”

Peter punched Morgan in the shoulder, and he winced. “Uh, thank you?” Morgan let his eyes droop closed, as the other white coats arrived to see to his injuries.

Nebula stares at Peter with a look of surprise. "What?" He grins at her. 

"It's nothing," Nebula lies. She stands up, wiping her bloody palms on her jeans. "It's nothing, I just haven't heard you call them by their name since…"

The smile vanished from his face. "I know. I learned that lesson the hard way, I haven't forgotten what they're like."

Nebula drops her gaze to the floor. "I shouldn't have brought it up."

Peter shakes his head. "Just you, me, and our siblings. That's all that matters." 

"Dad too?"

"Fine. Thanos, too, I guess." They start walking towards the exit. The smile returning to his face. "But not the Black Order! They all suck and I hate Proxima specifically."

Nebula cracks a smile, "Oh finally something we can agree on." They wandered towards the mess deck. Talking turned to roughhousing and that turned to playing. And for just a little while, they were happy.


	3. How far is Heaven?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gamora's POV

Lightyears away in a swirling multicolored cloud of stardust, there's an explosion of light. The stardust shifts colors as a star is born, joining her sisters in their dance. Gamora has never seen anything like it, this was the best nightlight she's ever had. She was looking up at the stars through the large glass hatch in the flight deck. She laid back against the cold metal, her feet dangling off the edge of the platform. Gamora had spent most of the night exploring the hangar bay. She couldn't remember how to get back to her cabin so she ended up sleeping on the floor of the flight deck.

It would be easy enough to steal a ship when the time came. They were all unlocked, and the keys were kept beneath the steering wheel. It was as if Yondu had never considered someone might steal from him. The only deterrent from theft was the security cameras monitoring the flight deck and the hangar bay. If she threw something hard enough she could probably knock the cameras off the wall.

She doesn't realize Yondu is in the room until he turns on the lights. Gamora rolled onto her side, trying to shield her eyes. "This is where you've been hidin'."

Gamora didn't know she was going to whine until she opened her mouth, "I wasn't hiding. What do you want?"

Yondu kicked her in the ribs. Gamora cried out as she recoiled away from him. "Ya wanna try that again, girly?"

The unspoken threat of being kicked again made her consider her words carefully. "Did you want something from me, Captain?" She spits his title like an insult, her words dripping with malice.

"Now, that wasn't so hard." Yondu shakes his head at her. "Breakfast ends in half an hour. I can't have ya skipping meals..." He continues to scold her but Gamora finds her attention drifting back to the glass hatch. He stops talking, waiting for her to respond. She muttered an empty apology hoping to placate his anger somewhat. He kicks her again. Intense aching pain blossoms on her side. It pulls the air from her lungs. It hurts. "You're not listening!"

Gamora scrambles away from him. She holds her sore ribs. Panic makes her heart race. "Don't do that! I'm listening!"

"Did you sleep here last night?"

Gamora watches him cautiously, if he moves to kick her again she would bolt. She can't tell him she was planning her escape so instead, she says, "The bed uh, the bed was too soft. I couldn't sleep." It was a half truth at least.

Yondu sighed forcefully, "Don't make it a habit." Gamora stands up, wincing a bit at the pain in her ribs. She kept one hand on her injured side. She walked around the large m-ships. She paused outside the door. "Go left."

"I know!" She didn't know.

When Gamora reaches the safety of her cabin, and the door closes behind her, a wave of sadness washes over her. She was so tired of being brave. She wanted her mother so badly it hurt. She wanted to hear her voice, she wanted to hug her. Gamora curls up in her bed and hugs her pillow. She's careful not to apply pressure to her injury.

Her mother had only ever hit her once after she was caught stealing spare change. This was a different kind of pain. It was like when Gamora had sprained her ankle. It's a dull throbbing, and if she moved the wrong way it was a sharp stabbing pain. Every breath she takes hurts. She wants it to stop, instead, it's a constant reminder of her run in with her so-called Captain. Gamora hadn't done anything to deserve such cruelty. She didn't understand why this was happening to her.

Gamora squeezes her eyes shut hoping that when she opens them again, she'll wake up at home. Her mother would be making breakfast, and she'd call her to the table. Gamora would hug her, and her mother would brush the hair out of her eyes and wish her a good morning. Gamora prays quietly under her breath, "Please, please, please, be a nightmare. Wake up. Wake up." Gamora falls asleep.

Someone knocks on the metal door. Gamora sits up too quickly, there's a sharp pain in her side. She remembers everything that happened this morning. She's still here, in this awful nightmare place and her mother is millions of light-years away, waiting for her to come home.

The door is unlocked, and it slides open. Kraglin leans against the door frame, looking at her with concern. "Good morning, sleepyhead, the Cap'n said I'd find you here. You slept through breakfast, it's nearly time for lunch." 

She hated him too. He just let Yondu do whatever he wanted, he never did anything to protect her. "Go away!" Her voice cracks as she chokes down a sob.

He frowns, "Are you sick?" He walks into her cabin and knelt down across from her. He reaches a hand out towards her forehead. Gamora tries to swat it away but feels a sharp pain in her side. "You feel a little warm."

"I want my mama." Gamora a few stray tears escape her eyes. She tries again to push Kraglin away, but he doesn't so much as budge.

Kraglin brushes her tears away with his thumb, and gently holds her face. "Ah, you're homesick. That is serious." He stands up and glances around her cabin. Gamora never unpacked her bag, her dirty clothes were left in a pile on the floor. "Come on get up."

"No, leave me alone," Gamora whines pitifully.

"Even sick little girls need ta brush their teeth and eat three meals a day. Get up," Kraglin picks out a clean outfit for her to wear. Gamora doesn't move from her bed. "Are you so sick you need me to carry you?"

Gamora didn't like either option. "I hate you."

"That's fine," Kraglin shrugs. When she doesn't say anything else, he sighs heavily. Kraglin picks her up. She resists at first, struggling in his grasp and trying to push him away, but Gamora eventually gives in. She desperately needed a hug. He rubs her back and holds her tight against his chest.

Kraglin carries her down the hallway to the only girl's bathroom on the Quarter deck. He sets her down outside the door and hands her the clean outfit. "Go brush your teeth, and get changed. Lemme know if ya need any help, and no more cryin', okay?"

Gamora nods her head and rubs her eye with her fist. "Okay." She manages to brush her teeth by herself. However, every time she raised her arm to take off her nightgown there was another stab of pain in her side. It hurt too much. She had to stop. All of this because she mouthed off to Yondu this morning. The memory leaves a bitter taste in her mouth and she tries to push it to the back of her mind. Maybe if she could undo the buttons on the back she could take it off that way. "Hey, Kraglin?" She pokes her head out of the bathroom. 

He was using his pocket knife to pry the I, R and L off the girl's bathroom sign. It read: G_'s Bathroom. "Yeah?"

"Can you help me with the buttons? I can't get my nightgown off." 

"Sure," he puts his knife away, and knelt down. "No donuts today, donut head?"

"They're not donuts!" She protested. Her mother had always braided Gamora's hair into pigtails and then pulled up back into buns for her. "I don't feel like wearing them today."

"That's too bad, they look cute on ya," He undoes the last button "There."

Gamora mumbles a quiet, "Thank you," to be polite and disappears back inside. She wiggles out of her nightgown easily enough. A gasp escaped her lips when she saw the bruise on her side. Her skin had turned a dark shade of blue, and little spots of red in certain places. She felt like crying again. She gently poked at it with her finger and hisses. It hurts. It really hurts. She didn't even do anything to Yondu! So why… why?

"Gamora? You okay?" Kraglin asked from the hall.

"I hate it here, I want to go home." 

"I know, kiddo. Do ya need more help getting dressed?" His voice was gentle and reassuring. 

Gamora shakes her head, then remembers that he can't see her. "No." She takes a deep breath. Kraglin had picked out the fluffy grey sweater for her to wear. It was her favorite. She pulls it over her head, she pauses to rub her finger over the sheep stitched into the hem. She finished getting dressed slowly. She leaves the bathroom feeling utterly alone and miserable. Kraglin raises an eyebrow at her, "Why are you holdin' your arm like that?" 

"Yondu kicked me." She lifted up her shirt to show him. 

"You can't seem ta stay outta trouble, huh?" Kraglin inspects her wound, he touches it gently, and Gamora yelps. She forcefully lowers her shirt. 

"I didn't do anything! He kicked me for no reason.”

Kraglin rolls his eyes, "Udonta wouldn't punish you for no reason. Ya prob'ly did somethin' ta make him mad, It wouldn't've happened if ya weren't such a brat."

Gamora drops her gaze to the ground. She was certain it wasn't her fault up until a minute ago, now she felt guilty. "Don't say that. I'm not a brat."

"Looks like it's a little swollen. We should get some ice on that." Kraglin gestured for her to follow and started walking away.

Gamora takes two steps and then grabs onto Kraglin's arm. She stares at her shoes, feeling a little embarrassed. "Can you carry me, please?"

He sighs, "You still feelin' sick?" She nods a little. 

He picks her up gently, careful not to touch her bruises. Gamora rests her head against Kraglin's shoulder and clings to his jacket. The rhythmic sound of his heartbeat is soothing. It's comforting to be held. "This doesn't mean I like you now." She mutters, and Kraglin laughs at her.

"That's fine. I don't care if ya like me or not, donut head. Captain ordered me ta look after you," Kraglin explains lightly.

Gamora frowns, "Why would he do that?"

"He reckoned that cha wasn't adjustin' well, and I got the most experience dealin' with homesick babies," he says.

"I'm not a baby! I'm eight!" She protests.

"Ya coulda fooled me with all that cryin' you've been doin'," Kraglin mocks her.

Gamora felt her face heat up. She pressed her eyes into his shoulder. "I hate you."

"Sure." He carries her through the mess deck and back into the galley. It was a whirlwind of activity. Four different cooks are working all at once, while others quickly plated food and washed dishes. They call out to each other as they move through the galley. 

"Good morning, sir!" Someone calls out to Kraglin as they enter. They look surprised to see him. 

"Morning," Kraglin replies cheerfully. He sets Gamora down on an empty stretch of counter.

A pair of twins are riding on a cart full of dirty dishes. They roll to a sudden halt in front of Gamora, they're both clamoring with questions. "What are you doing here, sir? Did something happen? Is that our new cabin girl? Is she gonna help us? Finally, someone else to wash the dishes!"

Kraglin snorts, "Yeah, this is Gamora. She ain't working today, she doesn't feel well." 

"Aw that's too bad," says one twin. The other replies, "I hope you feel better soon!" Then the first one bangs on the cart and yells, "Charge! Make a hole!" They take off running and then jump on the cart. They nearly crash into the sink. One of the cooks knocks the twin's heads together and scolds them. 

Kraglin shakes his head and mumbles something about teenagers. "Who were they?" Gamora asks curiously.

He grabs an empty plastic bag out of the cabinet. "That's Bones and Buttons, they're the third mate's younger brothers. They were kind of a package deal." Kraglin fills the plastic bag with water and ice cubes. He closed it and then pressed the bag against her bruise. Gamora gasps at the sudden cold sensation, but after a moment it feels kind of nice. "That'll help keep the swelling down." She nods holding the ice pack to her side.

One of the cooks ladles some soup into a bowl and grabs one of the freshly baked bread rolls. He carries it over to Gamora. "You skipped breakfast, little one."

Gamora shrugs, "I'm sick."

"Doubly important that you eat, then." He says sternly before turning his attention to Kraglin. "There's a table in the back for the staff. She can eat there." 

He helps Gamora off the counter and they follow the cook further into the galley. There was a large wooden table with 10 or so chairs set up. The cook set the food down in front of Gamora. She never had freshly baked bread before. It was warm and buttery and soft. Then one of the twins runs over with some kind of warm pastry wrapped in a napkin. "I snagged this from Angler, don't tell, okay!" He throws her a wink and runs off before she can say thank you.

"You all are being too nice to me again." She complains softly. She only meant to nibble on her bread and save the rest for later. However, once she started eating she realized how hungry she was. She quickly eats the whole meal.

Kraglin chuckles, "You're one of us now. We look after our own." Gamora doesn't know what to say to that. She wasn't one of them. She was only pretending. It didn't matter how much food, units, or clothing they gave her. She would rather be at home with her mother, she was happier at home. She would never feel loved, protected, or safe here. Not while Yondu was around.

Kraglin sighs and shoves his hands in his pockets. "I've got work ta do, will you be alright if I leave ya here?" Gamora shrugs and then nods. Kraglin ruffles her hair. "Alright, my station is on the bridge. Come and find me if ya start feelin' sick again, okay?"

"Okay," Gamora mumbles. Kraglin left the galley. She sits and watches the staff run around cooking, and cleaning. It was all very exciting. Bones and Buttons seem to make everything look fun, they get into a water fight while washing dishes. One of the cooks has to scold them again. Before she knows it, lunch is served. The cooks sit down to eat with her at the table and others join her soon after. Bones made her a plate of food. The cooks ask how she's feeling, and if she's going to work tomorrow. Someone makes her hot tea, It smells like home. As soon as they finish eating everyone is up and working again. The galley is full of wonderful smells and sounds once more.

Gamora nibbles on her lunch. She would need food for the trip home, she would have to start rationing again. Although, there was so much food on the Eclector. Would Yondu even notice if she took some? She quietly slides out of her chair and retrieves the plastic bags from the cabinet. "Did you wanna another ice pack, honey?" 

"Uh, yeah, please," She stammers nervously, as one of the cooks appears behind her. "My side still hurts."

The cook takes the plastic bag from her. "My name is Angler, by the way. I'm our baker." 

"Gamora," She says politely. 

Angler sighs and turns away to fill the bag with ice and water. Gamora quickly stuffs a handful of plastic bags into her pocket. "The first mate said that Udonta gave you a beatin' for mouthin' off this mornin'. Our Cap'n has never had a cabin girl before. I hope you can forgive him if he's too harsh wit' ya. He doesn't know any better yet." Angler holds out the ice pack for her.

Gamora takes it and glares at the floor. She wouldn't ever forgive Yondu. "Thank you." She turns and walks back to the table. For some reason, she felt like crying again. She quietly puts her leftovers in the plastic bags. It wasn't nearly enough, but it was a start.

Bones grabs the empty dish cart, and Buttons climbs on top of it. "Hey, Gamora! C'mere!" Buttons called her over. She slides out of her chair and walks over to them. She looks at them with curiosity and uncertainty. "You're new here so we'll introduce you to everyone."

Gamora takes a step back, "No, that's okay."

"It'll be fun!" Buttons grabs Gamora by the waist and hoists her onto the cart. He holds her snugly in place. He taps the cart and yells, "Charge!"

Bones begins to jog, quickly gaining speed as they fly through the galley. The wind whips her hair. The wheels of the cart squeal in protest of the speed they're going. Someone yells at them to slow down. They're headed straight for the door. Gamora watches through her fingers, certain they're going to crash. Buttons giggles and Bones is outright grinning.

The door glides open at the last second. They rocket into the mess deck. It was still rather busy. "Make a hole!" Bones yells over the noise. The crew jumps out of the way of the cart. As they whip around a table, Buttons grabs dirty dishes with ease. While all of Bones' attention is on keeping them from crashing. 

Buttons points people out as they fly past them. "That's Oblo, he's the head mechanic, Horuz is his second in command. Oh and there's Tullk he's our pilot"

"The pilot? Shouldn't he be flying the ship?"

Bones chuckles, "Nah, the autopilot can handle things as long as there aren't any dramatic weather changes." 

"Or people shooting at us," Buttons adds. Gamora eyes widened, an autopilot. She could use an autopilot. She didn't need to know how to fly a ship to escape. She was so close now. Gamora could almost taste her freedom. The opportunity would come and she would escape this nightmare. Gamora can't help but smile.


	4. I Can't Live With You

A spaceship exploded, but it wasn't Nebula and Peter's fault this time.

The explosion was contained to the laboratory on Sanctuary II. It sounded like a thunderclap echoing through the bones of the ship. Heather stumbles out of the lab. She's clutching the only remaining specimen to her chest. The tremor that followed knocked her off balance, she fell, dropping the specimen. It squeaked indignantly and ran as fast as its small furry legs could carry it. Peter leans out of his cabin in his light blue pajamas and slippers. He's carrying his handgun and his Walkman. "Grab that musty!" Heather stands up and runs towards them.

"The what?" Peter blinks, he was still half asleep. The specimen scurried around Peter’s feet, he yelped in surprise and shot at it. Heather tackled him. The bullet ricocheted off the floor shattering the ceiling light. Peter yanked Heather out of harm's way as broken glass rained down. The specimen fled down the hallway, squealing in fear.

"I need it alive!" Heather shouted to hear over the ringing in her ears. She shoves Peter away and chased after the specimen. The broken glass crunched under her slippers.

Nebula’s cabin door slid open. Her gaze settled on Peter, "I'm trying to sleep, you invertebrate!"

"Can't argue right now, need to catch a rodent!" Peter pointed down the hallway.

"What? Peter, hey!" Nebula and Peter easily caught up with Heather. "What's happening?!"

Heather had lost sight of the specimen, she dropped to the floor looking under a table. "One of my experiments escaped, I need it back."

Nebula took a cautious step back, "Which experiment? The one with the contagious disease that blinds people?"

Heather cringed trying to come up with a delicate way to say yes. "Seriously?" Peter yelled.

"Allace and I are close to developing a cure," Heather said in her defense. "I need the specimen to–" A chorus of high pitched screams cut Heather off.

"I found your musty." Nebula headed in the direction of the screaming.

Peter grabbed Heather by the waist and tossed her over his shoulder. She found herself looking down at the metal floors, she pushed herself upright. "This is highly unnecessary!"

"You're too slow," Peter offers as an explanation. Heather squirmed trying to get comfortable. She twisted around until she was sitting on his shoulder. They followed the sound to the servant's quarters. Noihr and Lytah shrieked as the rodent scurried past them. Hexia tried to stomp on it.

"Don't kill it!" Heather shrieked, and Peter shoved Hexia aside. Nebula snatched the specimen off the ground but it wriggled out of her grasp. In a blind panic, the specimen squeezed into the air vent. Nebula rips it off the wall and makes a futile attempt to grab it. Her thoughts clouded with fear and that turned to rage. She punched the wall, chipping away the drywall and revealing the metal paneling beneath.

Heather knew she should have been more careful, this was her fault. If she had been faster or stronger like her older siblings the specimen wouldn't have escaped. Now they could have an epidemic on their hands. Heather rested her cheek against Peter’s head. "Chill out Neb, we'll find it." He sounded confident despite his own thoughts drifting to the worst case scenario.

Several insults passed through Nebula’s mind before she settled on, "You bird brain, it could be anywhere on the station by now! How in the seven moons are we supposed to catch it?"

"We could smoke it out," Peter suggested.

"We're not going to poison our air supply." Nebula wrinkled her nose at him.

"Can't handle a little poison, Smurfette?"

Nebula rolled her eyes, "How can so much stupid reside in such a small person?"

“I'm not small! I'm taller than you!” Peter said indignantly. They kept arguing about nothing but Heather wasn't listening anymore. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing until everything else fell away. At first, she could hear the thoughts of the people closest to her. She reaches out. Heather was wading through the sea of voices. She could feel the servants cleaning the galley, her siblings getting ready for bed, and Proxima Midnight sparring with her husband. She still hadn't found what she was looking for. They were all shouting at her, it felt like someone was driving an ax through her skull. Then she hears it. She lets all the other voices fade into the background. 

She latched onto the specimens stream of consciousness and pushed her way in. Heather had only tried this once before on an insect, with guidance from her teacher. It put up more of a fight than Heather expected but she overpowered the creature. It would be dangerous to do this for too long, she won't stay longer than a minute to be safe.

Heather blinks her eyes rapidly, as she adjusts to seeing through the rodent's eyes. There were colors she had never seen before, colors her language had no words for. The number of foreign sounds and smells was overwhelming, every sound is crisper, louder. She was moving fast. She felt comfortable in the darkness, running through the air vents with no destination in mind. There are flashes of light, glimpses of ships, and boxes. There were big men with guns and others in long white coats unloading equipment. Someone was speaking in a language she can't comprehend, his voice booming through the vents. It was familiar but she couldn't place who the voice belonged to. She had a craving for raw meat, she should have been fed by now. She had never been so far from the safety of her box of wood chips, it was very frightening.

"Jellybean?" Suddenly she was somewhere else, someone else. Her vision dulled to muted tones, and her head is throbbing. She rubs her eyes and felt for whiskers that weren't there. She traced the red swirls on her olive green skin curiously with her finger. She could have sworn she had fur, but no, that was wrong. "Jellybean, are you okay?" She can't remember her name but she knew it was not Jellybean. Heather, that was the name her mother gave her, for the flowers that bloomed on the day of her birth. She remembers how Ronan hunted down and killed all of the telekinetics in her village, how Ebony Maw rescued her. Heather remembers that Peter called her “the jellybean thief” her first month on Sanctuary II because she refused to talk and ate all his candy. She rubs her temple and takes a deep breath.

"I know where the specimen is," Heather said, placing one hand on Peter's head to steady herself. "It's on the lowest level of the flight deck." Nebula and Peter exchanged glances both confused about how Heather got this information. She sighed trying to come up with a simplified explanation of the experience, "I projected my consciousness into the specimens mind."

"You can do that?" Peter asked out of disbelief.

"Ebony taught me how," Heather says with a hint of pride.

"We're wasting time. Let's go before we have an epidemic on our ship," Nebula takes the lead. They run back the way they came, heading for the main stairwell. 

"Gotcha, we got time for a quick snack?" Peter asked Nebula, she rolled her eyes in response. "No? Not even one of those protein bars?"

"I like those!" Heather chimed in.

"You're both the worst!" Nebula shouted as she lunges over the railing on the stairwell.

Peter leaned over the railing, watching Nebula drop down to the bottom floor. "Fine. We'll stop the epidemic first, and then get a snack," he said. Heather clung tightly to Peter as he jumped over the railing. She closed her eyes as the ground rushed to meet them. She clenched her jaw to hold back a scream. "How's the weather up there?" Peter asked as they landed.

"Never do that again, please." Heather squeaked, opening her eyes slowly. She relaxed her death grip on Peter's shoulder.

"Sorry, I forgot you're allergic to danger." Peter weaved through the hallways, pushing disgruntled servants out of the way. 

"My immune system has nothing to do with my fear of heights," Heather mumbled.

"It's a joke, Jellybean." They took a shortcut through the hangar bay. They weave through the enormous Destroyers heading straight for the exit. The flight deck needed enough room for each of the massive ships to take off and land, so naturally, it was an enormous wide open space. A number of ships had returned from various errands. The servants milled about the space unloading cargo with assistance from Thanos' hired army. A handful of scientists are unloading expensive equipment. If they had to search the entirety of the flight deck, it would take all night.

Peter scanned the area for any sign of the rodent. Nebula had already come to the same conclusion as Heather, she glares at her, "Okay, where is it?" Heather closed her eyes. She knew reaching out again would only make her headache worse, but she needed to try.

It was easier to find the specimen's consciousness the second time. Heather latched onto its mind almost immediately and pushed her way in. She exhaled slowly, as she adjusted to her heightened senses. It was huddled between the wall and a large crate. Across the room, men are moving shiny objects. It was safe in the shadows. There were too many giants around to risk moving. Hunger was stronger now, she could smell meat somewhere to her left. 

Something soft is pressed against her head. "...ears are bleeding!" She panicked, recoiling away from the offending object. Her eyes flew open, she was uncertain of where or who she was. Everything felt wrong. The pain in her head was unbearable. The bright lights and noise only made it worse. It was too much. She couldn't take it anymore. No more. No more. No more.

~~•˖✧•★•✧˖•~~

Jellybean pressed the palm of her hands into her eyes. Peter had set her down on the table after she nearly fell off his shoulders. Nebula was searching for the musty. Morgan had abandoned the Ai and fetched the emergency first aid kit. Heather was hyperventilating, consumed by panic and pain. She kept muttering the words, "no more," over and over again.

"No more what? What do you need?" Peter asked gently.

"It's too much, too bright, too noisy," Heather murmured, shaking her head back and forth.

Peter could fix that. Morgan set the first aid kit down, "Do you kids need help?"

"Nah we're good, gimme this," He yanked the tie away from Morgan's collar. He carefully tied it around Heather's eyes, "Is that better? Not too tight?" she nodded adjusting the blindfold. Peter pulled out his Walkman from his back pocket. He slipped the headphones over Jellybean’s ears, he pressed his Walkman into her hands so she could adjust the volume as needed. He could hear I Can't Live With You by Queen playing through his headphones. Peter sat next to her on the table, Jellybean leaned against him. She dropped her arms to her sides, resting a hand on top of Peters. As the next song begins to play, Peter turns down the music so Heather can hear him. "Where's the musty?"

Jellybean tugged the blindfold off but kept the headphones. She glanced around the room and pointed to the far wall. There is a pile of crates full of food rations near the wall. Morgan checked Heather for any serious head injury and helped her clean up the blood. Peter slid off the table and crept across the room. He leaned against the wall and looked down. There was a quivering ball of fluff. Its black fur turned grey from dust, it's round brown eyes are hungry and fearful. It turns its head and looks directly at him.

Peter dragged the crate away from the wall with one swift movement. The musty sprinted away and Peter gave chase. He felt the familiar rush of adrenaline. The musty moved surprisingly fast for something so small. It squeezed between two crates, and Peter kicked it over. Meat and dairy products slid across the room. The musty squealed in fear and darted through the crowd of jackboots. Peter shoved them out of the way as he ran. One of the Jackboots panicked as the musty scurried by and opened fire. Heather shouted, "Don't shoot," as Peter jumped into the line of fire and aimed his gun. The bullet finds its mark. The corpse fell limply to the floor. He lost sight of the musty.

It ran over Morgan's foot. He yelped and punted it across the room. Morgan lept backward, fumbling onto the table. The musty bounced once and slid under a warship. Peter was too busy laughing at Morgan to notice the toolbox on the floor. He tripped, knocking files off the table as he fell. Paper flew everywhere, covering the floor and Peter. "Idiots!" Nebula shouted, kicking a crate in front of the air vent, before running towards the warship. She dropped to the floor as Peter sat up. "I can't get them out," she was on her belly, reaching under the warship.

Heather pulled the headphones off, "It's hungry, try luring it out with meat."

Nebula grabbed one of the rations of meat from the floor and opened the packaging. "Pete, grab that jar."

Peter mumbles, "Okay.” He was preoccupied with getting out from under the pile of paper. He stands up and dusts himself off. He sighed, grabbed an open jar off the table.

Nebula set out the meat and backed away. There was a tense moment while they waited to see if the musty would make an appearance. They all backed away from the warship and stood as still as possible. After several agonizingly long minutes passed, The musty crept out from under the warship. It watched them with frightened beady eyes. Its nose twitched twice, and it ran directly for the meat. Peter slammed the jar down, trapping the musty inside. "I got it,” He announced. Heather and Morgan got down from the table. Morgan punched holes into the lid of the jar with his knife and handed it to Nebula. She slid a piece of paper under the jar and flipped it over. The musty squealed and pawed at the side of the jar, as she put the lid on it.

Heather took the jar from Nebula, "Thanks, Neb. I am sorry for bothering you with all of this. I know it's late, and you have training tomorrow.”

Nebula sighed, shifting her weight uncomfortably, she stole a glance in Peter’s direction. She opens her mouth and then closes it again, and then shrugs. "You don't always bother me."

Heather stares down at the jar, "It's okay if you can't say it. I don't want you to act like–"

Nebula slams her fist down on Heather's head to get her to stop talking. "Stop reading my mind, you dork! Those thoughts are personal!" Nebula turns a shade purple. 

Heather puffed out her cheeks in frustration and shielded her head. "I'm not doing it on purpose! This is little sister abuse! Peter!" He just laughed at them.

The room relaxed with the threat neutralized. Morgan was sifting through his papers salvaging what he could, most of them had been soaked in blood and then stepped on. The cleaning bots milled about the room trying to mop up the blood. One of the cleaning bots kept running into the corpse while beeping in distress. The aprons would clean up the corpse later, it would be ground up and turned into fertilizer for the garden. Thanos would hire a replacement by the end of the week and no one would think about the corpse on the floor ever again.

Heather took off the headphones and set them down on the table. "I think I got blood on your headphones."

Peter shrugged, he was preoccupied with the new bullet holes in his blood-soaked shirt. Sure, being shot stung a little, but it ruined clothing. He'd have to throw this shirt away. "Don't worry about it, I'm covered in it."

Morgan knit his eyebrows together, "Yeah, you're bleeding a lot. Are you okay?"

Peter did his best to clean himself up with a towel, "Ah this is nothing."

"You've been shot four times," Morgan pushed up his glasses.

"Peter has a high tolerance for pain since he gets in trouble constantly," Nebula says tauntingly.

"Huh?" Peter looked down at his chest counting three bullet holes. His hand went to his head, "Oh my god! That jerk shot my ear off, oh my god!" He jumped up and down while shouting and then kicked the corpse.

Heather pursed her lips, "It will grow back."

"I thought this was nothing?" Nebula says in a mocking tone.

"I lost an ear!" Peter shouted melodramatically, "I need those, Nebula!" He kicked the corpse again. It didn't make him feel any better. He watched as two cleaning bots got caught on the corpse and together they pushed it across the floor while beeping in distress.

"Poor baby lost one ear," Nebula said sarcastically, gesturing at him with her bionic arm. "That's really awful. I feel so bad for you!"

Peter cringed, "Ah I forgot you were… you know."

"You forgot!?" Nebula glanced around but couldn't find anything to throw at him. Unlike Peter, she did not sleep with her weapons. 

"I said I was sorry!"

"No, you didn't." Nebula takes off her forearm and throws it at him. Peter ducked and it sailed over his head.

"Oh well," He grabbed Nebulas forearm off the ground. "I'm keeping this."

"Peter," Nebula stalked towards him.

Heather giggled as Nebula chased Peter around the crates. Peter hit Nebula with her arm, every time she got close. He kept shouting "Why are you hitting yourself?" Until Nebula lost her temper and tackled Peter. He didn't feel any broken bones so he knew Nebula was only roughhousing with him. His elbow slammed into her gut. She sat on him, pinning one of his arms down with her knee. Peter squirms trying to get out from under her. Nebula grabbed his arm, twisting it and until he dropped her forearm. She tried to grab it. Peter slammed his palm up into her jaw. It gives him just enough time to kick her prosthetic away. Her forearm skidded across the floor to Morgan's feet.

Nebula lets Peter get up. He scrambles to his feet and he holds up his hands for Morgan to throw him Nebula's arm. Nebula shoves Peter while glaring at Morgan with murderous intent. He panicked and tossed Nebula her arm. She clicks it back into place with a smirk. "C'mon man, I thought we were cool!" Peter clicked his tongue at Morgan. 

"Sorry, she would've hurt me if I didn't give it back," Morgan said nervously.

Peter folded his arms across his chest, "How'd you know I wouldn't hurt you?"

Morgan shrugs, "Well… we're friends, right?" 

"Yeah, we're friends!" Peter can't help but smile. Then he turns his attention back to his older sister with a sly grin, "Neb is way scarier than me." Nebula glared at Peter and made a point of shoving him. He does a double-take and then yells for no apparent reason. “Oh, sorry Nebula. I just forgot what your face looks like up close for a moment.” Nebula punched him and Peter quickly dodged it. He laughed at his own joke.

Heather bit back a laugh. "Don't encourage him!" Nebula glares at Heather, "He's not funny. You're not funny!"

“Sorry,” Heather hid her smile behind her hand. “That was mean, Pete.”

“Not my fault Neb was born without a sense of humor,” Peter said. "Ah!" Nebula takes another swing at him. 

Heather was quick to change the subject before they got into another fight. "Hey, can we get that snack now?"

"Hell yes, I'm starving," Peter grabs Heather by the hand and leads her towards the door. Nebula folded her arms across her chest and shifted her weight. She wanted to come but didn't want to admit it. Peter turned and waved at Morgan, "See ya, doc."

Morgan looked up from his paperwork, "See you, space cowboy." He glanced at Nebula quizzically, she was standing there looking dejected. He didn't have to be a telepath to know what she was thinking. He sighed, "Those two will destroy the mess hall without supervision, you know."

Nebula nodded, taking the excuse, "Yeah it'd be irresponsible of me to let them go alone." She raced to catch up with them. Heather was waiting for her, holding the door open. Nebula berated them loudly for always causing trouble and Peter called her a stuck up daddy's girl. Heather put up with their argument about literally nothing, until they reached the mess hall. They had the mess hall all to themselves and the servants made them snacks and hot tea. Peter was eager to tell Heather about their mission, and Nebula talked over him whenever she felt his version of the story strayed too far from reality. It's nights like these that make Heather feel like everything is going to be okay.


	5. Fox On The Run

The Eclector had docked on the planet Leeto earlier that day. The whole crew got time off while the ship was planetside, as well as enough units to cover their living expenses. Kraglin had set Gamora up with a bank account under her mother's name. Gamora's escape plan was already in motion, acquiring an autopilot was easier than she thought it would be. It cost a third of her paycheck, but the clerk didn't ask too many annoying questions. 

She was sitting on a bench watching the Eclector from a distance. It was practically a ghost station, only the highest ranking members of the crew were still on board. Kraglin left for the bar district first, followed by the third mate, leaving Yondu alone on the ship. Gamora nibbled on one of her leftover cakes as she waited. She would only eat a little and save the rest for later. The street lamps quietly winked on as they approached sunset. Yondu finally left the ship, locking the main hatch behind him. Gamora waited until she was certain he was gone before she stood up. 

With the ship locked up, Gamora had to enter by more unconventional means. There are handles that go all the way around the hull, they made it easier for engineers to make repairs while in null g. She strapped her duffel bag across her back and hoisted herself up. She had to reach out and feel for the next handle, slowly inching around towards a window in the twilight. She smashed a window with a big rock and crawled inside the control center. From there, she unlocked the main hatch on the flight deck. 

Gamora crept from the command center into the hangar bay. With the lights off the security camera couldn't see much, but she threw a wrench at it anyway. It smashed into the camera knocking it off the wall. She turned on her flashlight using it to navigate the hangar. She found the Anilius without a problem, the key was taped under the steering wheel. Installing the autopilot was tricky, but after reading the instruction manual twice she finally completed the task. It was nearly midnight. She can't help but yawn. Gamora buckled herself into the copilot's seat, anxiety bubbled up in her stomach. She didn't want to know what Yondu would do to her for stealing a ship. Her ribs are still sore from mouthing off. 

She powered on the Anilius and entered the coordinates for her homeworld into the autopilot. When the hatch opens, every alarm goes off at once. Gamora felt her heart stop. Yondu would know what she had done. There was no turning back now. Warning lights flash throughout the hangar, as the ship slowly rolls onto the flight deck. The ship begins to rumble beneath her feet. It slowly starts to pick up speed. The sound is nearly deafening. The autopilot flew the Anilius out of the Eclector with lightning speed. It scraps the edge of the hatch as it shuts behind her. Gamora barely has time to register what's happened before the ship pulls away from Leeto. The small red planet fades into the distance until it's consumed by the void of space. She was gone.

Gamora yawned again and settled into the station's chair. She uses her ravager jacket like a blanket. The distant rumble of the ship's thrusters is a soothing lullaby as her eyelids start to droop closed.

The emergency alarms jolt her awake. She can't breathe. Her vision is swimming and she's light-headed. She can barely focus on the words the ship is saying, “Warning: low air. Make an emergency stop immediately.” Gamora unbuckles herself and falls onto the control panel. She changes their destination to a nearby space station. Her vision blurs and she feels herself falling, everything fades into oblivion.

When Gamora came to, she was lying on the floor. The ship's hatch is open and light is streaming through the doorway. According to the ship, Gamora was on a space station in the asteroid belt that surrounded the solar system. She needed to get moving again as fast as possible. Yondu wouldn't be far behind her. Gamora ditched the red jacket for a wool sweater the tailor had knit for her. Gamora grabbed her duffel bag and the key before walking onto the docks.

The civilian dock was tiny. There were two other ships there, they looked like they hadn't moved in a very long time. They were practically growing moss. Gamora locks up the ship and quietly makes her way over to the Harbormaster's outpost. They had a small desk with a window separating them. They're the only other soul on the docks. They were scrolling quietly through their transmitter, Gamora had to stand on her tiptoes to ring the bell. The harbormaster looked over Gamora's head, scanning the docks. “Down here!” she said curtly.

They leaned forward to look down at Gamora, “Uhm, hiya darling, are your parents around?” Their left head says.

Gamora ignored the question, “I'm docked in 5A.”

The harbormaster blinked both sets of eyes absently. “Okay,” They say in unison. They looked between the ship and Gamora, “Where, um, are you, uh” The left head stammers falling out of unison with the right, “Where ya coming from?"

“Leeto.” 

They tapped away at their console, “How long are you staying?”

“One day,” Gamora said, the harbormaster reluctantly told her the price. She tapped her card against the terminal to transfer the funds. It was cheaper than Gamora expected it to be. “Do you know where I can buy air?” 

“Yes,” the harbormaster's right head pauses as they write out the address. Their left head continues, “You got somewhere to stay tonight, darlin’?” Gamora shrugged, she hadn’t thought about it. She wanted to be gone before the night cycle. They scratched another address onto the note before handing it to Gamora. “This place has room and board for cheap.” In unison, they say, “Have a safe trip.” 

“Thank you.” Gamora nodded, tucking the note into her pocket. They watched Gamora pass through decontamination, and out to the main quadrant.

The space station was relatively small, with only two hundred levels and ten main quadrants. It was twice the size of the Eclector but had half the population. It ran on Western Xandarian time, which meant it was just about noon. The Eclector ran on Standard time, and her body so badly wanted to be asleep. She tried not to think about how tired she was. She could sleep when she was home. The ceiling was the same deep pink color as the sky on Leeto, and the lights mimicked sunlight. However, it wasn't at all the same as looking at the sky. There were also little islands of exotic trees and flowers scattered throughout the corridors. It looked to be a mixture of both real and fake plants. Everything about this little space station was designed to be comforting, Gamora decided that it was the opposite of the Eclector. The only thing they shared was the maze of corridors and quadrants that seemed impossible to navigate. Gamora had to ask for directions twice before she found the address the harbormaster gave her.

The store kept the air canisters in the back, lined up on the bottom of a shelf. Gamora's heart sank when she saw the price. She pressed her forehead against the shelving unit. She was so close to escaping them. Why were units always the problem? It was money that forced her mother to work. It was money that kept them apart. She needed three air canisters to resupply the Anilius, and she could barely afford to buy one. They were too bulky to steal all at once. She would need to come back tomorrow. She waited until the clerk was distracted by another customer before stuffing one canister into her duffel bag. Gamora grabbed a packet of gummy fruit before heading to the checkout. She needed to buy something or she would look suspicious. Guilt made her stomach turn. Her mother would be disappointed in her for stealing, but Gamora didn't have a choice.

She didn't mean to eavesdrop on the person in front of her but they were shouting. “It didn't cost that much yesterday!” The vaguely Xandarian boy with defiantly fluffy brown hair was doing his very best not to whine. His words sounded clunky and rehearsed. It was like the language didn't fit comfortably in his mouth. 

“There's a drought. I don't know what to tell ya Rider," The clerk growled.

Rider took a nervous step backward, nearly bumping into Gamora, “But we need the water.”

“Everyone needs the water. Either pay for it or get out.” The clerk tapped his claws against the counter impatiently. 

Rider glared at the floor stubbornly refusing to move. Before Gamora knew what she was doing she said, “Stars and moons, I'll pay for him.” 

They both stared at her blankly. “Seriously?” Rider squeaked.

“Yeah, seriously.” She tossed her packet of gummy fruit onto the counter. The clerk begrudgingly allowed Gamora to pay for Rider.

She handed the jug of water over to Rider and left the store. She wasn't expecting Rider to follow her, “Hey, wait a minute!” He pushed through the crowd and caught up with her. “I want to thank you for helping me out back there. My name's Richie by the way.” 

“You're welcome,” Gamora said curtly and abruptly turned the corner. Unfortunately, Richie caught up with her quickly.

“No, I mean, I want to pay you back somehow.” Richie’s smile faltered, “But if you really want me to leave you alone, say the word and I will.”

Gamora slowed to a stop in front of a vibrant garden. She knew what it was like to feel indebted to someone and sighed. “Do you know where this is?” She showed him the second address on the note. 

Richie took one look at the address and grinned, “Yeah, come on.” She followed him through the bustling city streets. After a beat, he asks, “You got a name?” 

“Nope." 

Richard nods thoughtfully, “I'm going to call you Princess Leia then.” 

Gamora rolled her eyes, “I'm not a princess.”

“Are you sure? You dropped five hundred units like it was nothing and you're wearing real wool.” He reached out to touch her sweater, but Gamora swatted his hand away. 

She flushed, “Are you stupid?”

Richie laughed, “Sorry, sorry, It's a sensitive subject I get it.” She mustered up her best glare, but it didn't faze his cheerful demeanor. Gamora stayed stubbornly silent for the rest of the walk. They wandered through several back alleys to get to an elevator, then rode it down to the 27th floor. It didn’t have the same sparkling polished metal as the main floor, but at least the ceiling stopped pretending to be the sky. The stores and walkways are rusted, and some of the sandstone buildings are crumbling. The gardens are less vibrant but overall it was still more charming than the Eclector. Richie grabbed a stick from a nearby garden and walked into a restaurant.

When Gamora stepped inside she was hit with a wave of warmth and the overwhelmingly strong scent of cinnamon and butterscotch. The restaurant looks like any other generic diner in the galaxy. A smiling woman was working in the kitchen, and a large dog sleeping by the door. A waitress, that's a little younger than Gamora, was serving coffee to her customers. 

"Ma, I'm home!" Richie yells in language Gamora doesn't recognize. He whistled suddenly, throwing the stick across the room. Gamora jumped. Her head snaps around to look at the city street. She can't find any sign of Yondu but her heart won't stop pounding. The absolute mountain of a dog caught the stick mid-air. The others picked up their drinks the moment the dog landed. It shook the entire diner, the window panels and dishes rattled. The dog pranced around the room in delight, carrying its new toy. “Who's a good boy? You're a good boy!” Richie cooed.

The little waitress frowns at Gamora, “Are you alright?” 

Gamora tried to force herself to relax, but her hands won't stop shaking and her breathing is too fast, too shallow. “I'm–I'm alright.”

“Peanut is a real sweetheart. Never hurt a fly.” She nodded at the dog. The little waitress had the same accent as Richie, but her Standard was better. “Can I getcha somethin'?”

“I need a place to stay for the night,” Gamora said.

Her expression softens, “You hafta talk to Miss Rider about that. I can getcha somethin' to drink while ya wait.” Her eyes linger on the bandages on Gamora's knuckles. She tugs her sleeves down so they cover her hands. “On the house.”

“I want something to drink Cammi!” Richie shouted.

“Get it yourself, dummy!” She shouted back. Gamora sits down where she can watch the entrance. Logically, she knew that there was no way Yondu could get here this quickly, but her heart wouldn't listen. She keeps one eye on the window anyway. The little waitress pours her a mug of something hot and sweet smelling. “My name's Cammi, it's short for Camdecences.”

“Candescence is spelled with an N,” Richie pushed Peanut away as the dog tried to lick his face. “That would make you Canni.”

Cammi ignored him, “What’s your name?”

"Uh, I-I dunno,” Gamora sipped her drink. It was as thick as syrup, it tasted of chocolate and spice. 

“How couldja not know your own name?" Cammi laughs at her and rests one hand on her hip.

“I've been calling her Leia,” Richie piped up, “because of the buns.”

Cammi tilted her head to the side, her green earrings caught the light. “I don't see it. I think she looks more like Sailor Moon.”

“You're the only one who knows who Sailor Moon is.” Richie sounded rather annoyed with her.

Cammi shrugs, “It's not my fault you have poor taste in reading material.” 

Gamora felt left out and got defensive, “I don't know who any of these people are.”

Richie sat down next to Gamora, he took the kettle from Cammi and poured himself a drink. “Leia is a character from a popular story on our planet. She’s this awesome rebel, space princess. At the start of the movie she's kidnapped by Darth Vader,”

“He’s a bag of dicks,” Cammi interjected.

“Language please, Cammille.” The woman, probably Miss Rider, chided her from the kitchen.

Despite better judgment, Cammi corrected to “he's a bag of penis.” 

Miss Rider lowered her glasses to glare at Cammi with cloudy eyes. “Dishes, now.” Cammi stepped on Richie's foot when he smirked at her. She sulked as she walked back into the kitchen. 

“You know,” Richie stirred cream into his drink. The foaming liquid turned a soft pink color. “I have all the movies, we could watch them sometime.”

“Sure,” Gamora said mostly to be polite.

Once the lunch rush died down, Miss Rider left the kitchen. Richie pulled out a chair for her. “Cammille tells me you need a place to stay," Miss Rider says. 

“Yes, how much for one night?” Gamora asks, pulling out her card.

Miss Rider's expression twitched into a frown. “Oh, my dear, I don't charge children.”

Gamora crossed her arms. “At least let me help out in the diner, then. I won't stay here for free.”

“You already paid for our water,” Richie pointed out. His mother gave him an inquiring look. He quickly explained what had happened.

Miss Rider clicks her tongue in disapproval and slides a key across the table. It's the old kind. Gamora runs her thumb along the jagged side, the cheap copper feels cool in her hands. Miss Rider sighs, “I suppose we could use the extra help around here. You can assist me in the kitchen.” She touched Gamora's shoulder lightly as she stood up. Richie held his breath hoping his mother would forget he was there. Unfortunately, she had not forgotten about him, “Richard could you cover Cammille's shift while she's busy?”

Richie groaned and because he knew his mother wasn't really asking him, he said, “Yeah, okay.” 

Gamora spent the rest of the afternoon playing assistant to Miss Rider. It mostly involved retrieving utensils and identifying the correct ingredients. Miss Rider was something else entirely in the kitchen. She was always cooking three different things at once. After a month working in the Eclector's galley, Gamora fell into an easy rhythm alongside Miss Rider. Two other people were working in the kitchen and Cammi was up to her elbows in dishes. The smell of cinnamon was so strong, Gamora could practically taste it. Miss Rider held up two different cans, “Tomatoes on your left and soup stock on your right.” Gamora gestured with the potato peeler. 

“Thank you, dear.” Miss Rider hummed opening the can of soup stock. 

“Are you blind?” Gamora asked.

Miss Rider chuckled softly at the pot of soup, “Mostly.”

“She's got a third eye in the back of her head,” Cammi grumbled as she put the clean dishes away. Gamora squinted at Miss Rider but couldn't make out her third eye. She gave up after a while and returned to peeling the reconstituted potatoes. 

~~ °˖✧°☆°✧˖° ~~

“And...we're done!” Richie flipped off the open sign, Cammi threw her hands in the air and cheered. 

The soft-spoken teenager helped Gamora out of her apron, “Are you taking in more street kids, ma'am?” He smiles shyly at Miss Rider.

“Well, someone ought to.” She said as she locked the front door. It took Gamora a moment to realize they were talking about her. 

Richie held the door open as they moved into the back room, and then up the stairs. Gamora found the room number that matched her key. She shoved the key in the lock and turned it until it clicked, but she couldn't get the key out. Someone touched her shoulder, Gamora jumped. She wanted to punch Richie for startling her. “You need some help with that? It's an old door, the lock gets stuck sometimes.” She waved a hand at the lock. He jiggled the key until it came loose. “Here.”

“Thank you."

“So, did you want to watch the movie tonight?” 

“The what?” Gamora was struggling to find the motion sensors on the door. It should have been on top of the doorframe. She waved her hand in front of the lock trying to get the door to slide open. Richie coughed to cover his laughter. He turned the lock and pushed the door inward. Gamora scowled at the door when it swung open, that was just… wrong. 

“It's an old door,” Richie reiterated gently. Gamora nodded and tossed her duffel bag onto the floor. Richie stood in the doorway, “Anyway, the movie about Princess Leia? If you're leaving tomorrow we should watch them tonight.”

“Oh right.” A small part of Gamora whispered for her to shut the door and crawl into bed. Richie would understand that Gamora was tired. More than that, she was exhausted. She was terrified that Yondu would find her, and if she stopped moving for even a moment she would feel the weight of being separated from her mother. That was a terrible weight to carry. But she wanted to be Richie's friend, so instead, she said “Sure.” 

His face lights up, he bounced on his heels, “Awesome! Okay, I'll be right back!” Richie made finger guns at her before taking off down the hallway. Gamora exhaled slowly. She left the door open and leaned against a wall inside her room. She slid down until she was sitting on the floor. Her knees were pulled against her chest. There were so many bad feelings that she couldn't feel anything at all. Maybe the movie would be a welcome distraction. She heard Cammi and Richie talking as they approached her room. They're speaking in their native language again.“...wanna startle her.” 

“Peanut’s a sweetheart!” Richie insisted in defense of his dog.

“He's a sweetheart with three sets of teeth and an exoskeleton,” Cammi said. There was a pause, she could hear a cart rolling across the metal flooring. “Don’t give me that look. She's… going through something right now.”

“How do you know?” 

“Well, she's... I was–I am...” Cammi struggles to find the right words. “I just do, okay? Peanut’s sleeping in Robbie's room tonight.” A door opens and then shuts. The cart moves closer to Gamora's room.

“Sleepover!” Cammi yelled in Standard, while pushing a small laundry cart into the room. It's filled with blankets and pillows. Richie was carrying a large black box with lots of wires. He sets it down in the middle of the floor. Cammi pulls the mattress off the bed frame and flips it onto its side.

“What are you doing?” Gamora frowned, her poor bed. 

“I'm building a pillow fort!” Cammi announced. She strung up the blankets into a giant tent over the mattress. She scattered the pillows and remaining blankets onto the mattress, before stepping back to admire her handiwork. Cammi grinned at Gamora, “Help me with the lights?” Gamora pulled a box out from the laundry cart, inside is a collection of rocks that gave off a faint glow. They were light enough to float in the station's low gravity. Gamora inspected a green one curiously. “Pretty bitchin’ right?” Cammi set out the stones around the pillow fort. They both lie down on the mattress. Gamora wrapped herself up in a thick blanket, feeling the comfort of its warmth. “Is the VHS player ready yet?”

“I think so.” Richie managed to connect his transmitter to the black box and aimed the projection at the wall. He turned off the lights but didn't join them on the pillow fort. Cammi's jewelry and all the little rocks glowed intensely. “Are you afraid of dogs?” He blurted out.

Gamora rolled onto her stomach and propped herself up on her elbows. “Not really.”

“But you looked scared when Peanut jumped earlier.” Cammi pointed out with concern.

“Oh, it wasn't the dog.” Gamora fidgeted with the green stone. “Whistling uh reminds me of something bad… I know it's weird,” She admitted softly. 

“It’s not weird, ” Richie reassured her quietly. Gamora didn't know what else to say so she stared at the green rock in her hand. Richie sighs and points towards the door with his thumb, "I'm going to go get Peanut." 

Cammi watched him leave the room. Once the door was closed, and the sound of his footsteps disappeared, she mutters, “The sound of glass breaking freaks me out. My mom would throw her empties at the wall, instead of my head, when she was being affectionate.” She doesn't turn away from the door, but there's a faint smile on her face.

“When Yondu was being affectionate he would threaten to throw me out an airlock.” Gamora replied.

"Mom threatened to throw me outta the house and let me freeze to death too!"

They both grinned despite the morose tone. It made Gamora feel a little better. She asked, “Is Miss Rider your mom?"

“What? No!" Cammi wrinkled her nose and stuck out her tongue. "My mom died. Miss Rider and I just happened to be on the same refugee ship."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Then she frowns and rolls over onto her side, propping her head up on her hand. “When Thanos invaded our planet and my mom died protecting me from his soldiers. I–I don't know why she did that. I know I should miss her or feel sad, but,” her soft brown eyes caught Gamora's gaze. “I'm glad she died. It was the best thing she ever did for me. I think… I think I might be a bad person.”

Gamora let go of the green rock and watch it float up. It joined the other glowing rocks at the top of their pillow fort. They clustered together like colorful little stars. “I don't think that makes you bad. I think that just makes you a person."

Cammi looked like she wanted to say more, but stopped when Richie returned with Peanut. The dog licked Cammi's face until she giggles and pushes him away. Richie settled onto the mattress next to Gamora. “Ready to start the movie?” 

“Yep!” Cammi's reply was muffled because her face was pressed into Peanut's stomach. 

Richie started the movie but he kept talking over it to explain things to Gamora. Until Cammi got so annoyed she tried to smother him with a pillow. Gamora got involved and they roughhoused until they wore themselves out. Gamora was declared the champion of pillow fights. Cammi brought something called nail polish and Gamora let Cammi paint her nails a pretty pink color. She talked Richie into painting his nails too. After they started the second movie, Peanut found the food Gamora was keeping in her duffel bag. What Peanut didn't wolf down, Cammi ate. Gamora mourned the loss of her cakes, and Richie promised they'd replace all of her “nightmare Twinkies” with something better. He fell asleep halfway through the third movie. He was curled up with Peanut and they stole all the blankets. Gamora had to stop Cammi from drawing on Richie’s forehead. She insisted that it was a tradition. Gamora was the last to fall asleep, she quietly turned off the movie. She was snuggled up between Richie and Cammi. His hand was resting on Gamora's waist. She let her eyes drift closed and for the first time in weeks, Gamora felt safe.


	6. Whole Lotta Trouble

Only on rare occasions are the children of Thanos allowed a day off from their training. Most days they followed a very strict schedule. They attended morning classes on history, and language. In the afternoon, they had weapons training, exercise, and sparring matches. (Those were always Nebula's least favorite.) Children with special abilities had additional classes in the evening, while everyone else had more weapons training. By the end of the day, Nebula was so exhausted she didn't complain when she was confined to her cabin for the night.

Today this was not the case. The Black Order was attending some kind of war meeting with their father. There was no one to teach them so there would be no class. Nebula planned to spend the whole day in the library, doing as little as possible. 

However, on the way there, she gets distracted by a group of her siblings standing around an open door. Most of them are in Heather's age bracket. Servants pushed past them carrying boxes and furniture. They were cleaning out the belongings of the cabin's previous owner. “Who died?” Nebula wonders aloud.

Cauda replied, “One of the scientist guys bit the bullet this morning. They couldn't meet their deadline.” That meant their cabin was up for grabs.

“Well, I'm the oldest one here!” Peter, as per usual, was at the center of the crowd. “I get first dibs on any new cabins!” The other kids grumbled their complaints.

Nebula folded her arms across her chest and shouted to be heard over the noise. “What if I want the cabin?” The kids turned to look at Nebula.

Peter glared back at her. “Don’t you have something better to do, like fighting waterfalls or meditating with bears?” He realized his mistake the moment the words left his mouth. “Wait uh I mean–"

Photon giggled, “Why would she fight a waterfall?” 

Cauda was equal parts delighted and confused, “What's a bear?” 

Peter groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose, “whatever! Nevermind!” He pointed a finger at Nebula. “This doesn't concern you.” 

“No, I think it does,” Nebula decided. The crowd of children jump to get out of her way as she moves to stand between Peter and the open door. “I'm the oldest one here, so by your logic, this cabin belongs to me.”

Peter narrowed his eyes at her. “You don’t actually want the cabin. You just don't want me to have it.” 

He was right, of course, but Nebula would rather die than admit that. “Not everything is about you, Peter.” 

He couldn't say Nebula was being unfair without sounding like a hypocrite. He raised his chin slightly, “Nebula!” He was yelling even though they were standing right next to each other. “I challenge you to a game of Hide an’ Seek!” 

There was a chorus of Ohs from their siblings. They’re watching Nebula with anticipation. Always with the theatrics, she resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. “I'm listening."

“The winner gets to keep the new cabin.” Peter had captured his sibling’s attention as he explained, “It's you against everyone else. If you can find everyone before time runs out you win, but if you can't find someone they win. The war rooms and the med bay are off limits.” Photon raised her hand and hopped up and down. “Yeah, Pho?”

“How do we get out? Does she have to tag us?”

Nebula chuckled darkly, “Tagging is more fun.” 

“That’s scary!” Heather shivered and linked arms with her older brother, Nexus. 

“What about weapons?” Cauda piped up.

Peter shrugged and looked at Nebula. “Combat weapons are fine, but no mind control.” She said sternly while making direct eye contact with Heather. 

“I don't control people's minds! That's stupid,” Heather grumbled bitterly.

Nebula checked the time on her transmitter. “The game will last until seventeen hundred hours. I'll give you a head start.” 

Peter folded his arms across his chest, “You have to close your eyes.” 

She sighs and leans back against the wall, “That won’t help you.”

“Just keep ‘em closed,” Peter insisted. Nebula closed her eyes. The kids erupted into chatter and giggling as they scattered. Six went left eleven went right. Cauda giggled and Peter shushed him, they went left. Edbe and Lexifier ran ahead of everyone else, they went right. The adrenaline rush burns like fire. Nebula’s fingers twitched. Heather was still clinging to Nexus as they walked to the left. Nebula heard security doors open and footsteps moving downstairs. The hallway fell silent. She drew in a slow breath and opened her eyes. Here we go.  
~~•˖✧•★•✧˖•~~

Nebula was surveying one of the many lounges on Sanctuary II from the rafters. Lexifer was watching the door from behind a cabinet. Cauda was hunkered down by a potted plant, ready to make a break for it. She couldn't see Edbe. She dropped down behind Lexifer and blew on his ear. Lexifer tried to scream but Nebula clamps her hand over his mouth. Nebula dragged Lexifer back into the darkness. She hushed him, “You lose.” He had the good sense to keep silent. 

Nebula drew her throwing knives and turned off the light switch with the hilt. There was a soft gasp from under the coffee table. Ah, sweet little Edbe. She threw a blade across the room. It pinned Cauda’s sleeve to the wall. He squirmed out of his sweater and bolted. Nebula threw the coffee table at the door. Cauda was faster. He slipped into the hallway as the wooden table smashed into the doorframe. Edbe shrieks in surprise and a pulse of electricity shoots out at Nebula. She cartwheels over Edbe, avoiding the electricity. She poked her nose. “You're out Edbe” She retrieved her knife from the wall and jumped over the remains of the coffee table. Edbe sat up and groaned loudly. 

Cauda knocked everything over as he ran. She jumped over an overturned lamp. Her hand slapped against the wall as she rounded the corner. Cauda was leading her somewhere. The question was did she end this quickly or see where it goes. Nebula picked up the pace. They rounded another corner, the stairwell was dead ahead. Nebula was closing the distance between them. She dodged a vase that was thrown at her head. Nebula threw her knife across the hallway, shattering the motion sensors for the stairwell door. Cauda slammed his shoulder into the door.

Nebula stalked towards him. Cauda put his back to the wall. His hand dipped into his jacket pocket. Nebula tensed. In one swift motion, Cauda pulls the pin from his homemade explosive and throws it. The explosive goes off in the air. The blast knocks Nebula off her feet. She rolls down the hallway, scraping her palms and knees. Her ears are ringing. When she sits up, the door to the stairwell is open and Cauda is gone.

Nebula strolls up to the doorway. Without the motion sensor, the doors needed to be opened manually. Cauda wasn't strong enough to do that on his own. She stares into the darkness beyond the doorway. This was the trap they had set for her. She walks forward. Her footsteps echoing back at her as she takes in her surroundings. Something like a spider's web is woven across the third and fourth steps leading up. A tripwire, or something far sharper. 

The stairwell was U-shaped, with a wide gap between the ascending and descending staircases. Each of the staircases is connected by a platform. Nebula climbed over the railing so she was standing on the outside of the platform. She spun around so she was facing the platform on the next floor. She let go of the railing and jumped across the gap between the staircases. She grabs the opposite railing and pulls herself up to the next floor. Nebula jumped across the gap again, climbing up the stairs quickly. “By the moons,” Cauda muttered. His voice echoed through the stairwell. He scrambled up the stairs, trying to stay ahead of her. 

Nebula caught up with him easily. She jumped to the next flight of stairs and leaned over the railing. “Boo!” Cauda leveled his gun at her head. Nebula snatched it out of his hands and dropped it over the railing. She heard it clatter to the ground. 

“Come on!” Cauda complained loudly. He sprinted towards the nearest exit. Nebula rested her elbow on the railing and her chin on her palm. She lackadaisically threw the knife into the motion sensor. It shattered and short-circuited. 

She watched as Cauda made a futile attempt to open the door, “You've lost Cauda.” Somebody whistled, the echo made it hard to pinpoint where it was coming from. She leaned back and looked up the winding staircase, she didn't see anyone. When she looked back at the door, Cauda was gone again. Nebula furrowed her brow, she would have heard him run. Before she can figure out what that means an obnoxious and familiar voice calls out.

“Hey, Frosta! Up here!” Peter taunted her. “Come and get me, Ice Queen!” He was leaning over the railing three floors above her. Nebula stood on the railing and jumped up two floors. Their younger sister, Photon raced up the steps just ahead of her. She was carrying Cauda. 

Nebula grabbed the edge of the staircase and pulled herself up. “Woah! Sweet trick,” Peter grinned and climbed on top of the railing. Nebula lunged at him. He jumped straight up grabbing onto the staircase directly above him. He narrowly escaped her. It's infuriating.

They jumped back and forth across the stairwell, Peter even dropped down a flight of stairs when it suited him. He always managed to stay just out of Nebula's reach. She grits her teeth as he jeers, "Can't catch me! Can't catch me! And here I thought you were the best fighter in our bracket!"

"I am!" Nebula yanks out her knife and lunges for him. Peter jumps out of the way once again. Nebula crashes into the railing. 

She snarls when she hears him giggle. "You missed! Some assassin you are."

She catches movement out of the corner of her eye and leaps without thinking. She dives over the railing. Her hand wraps around the throat of a much smaller child in her blind rage. She slams them back against the wall. They struggle. "Neb, stop! You're going too far again!" She turns to glare at Peter. He's standing outside the railing. Inches away. If she reached out she could finally–Nebula takes a step forward and a tripwire snaps. 

"Shit." 

Photon throws them all forward into the gap between the staircases with her telekinesis. The explosion goes off. Pain, blinding white light. Then the sensation of falling. The three of them are hurtling towards the ground. She let go of Cauda in the confusion. Peter was falling next to her. She could only grab onto one of her brothers. The ground rushes to meet them. There is no time. 

She grabs onto Cauda. In the seconds before they hit the floor, she shields her baby brother from the worst of the impact. They land hard. There's a distinct pop as Nebula's shoulder smashed into the floor. They rolled across the room and slammed into the wall. The back of her head is aching, and spots clouded her vision, but Cauda was okay.

Peter fell a couple of stories and managed to catch himself on the railing because of course, he did. His clothes are smoldering. “Sucker–Ah!” Peter ducked as Nebula threw her last knife at his head. It left a scratch just above his eyebrow. Peter climbed over the railing to safety. Photon and Peter both stick their tongues out at Nebula. She pushes Cauda aside and stands up with a newfound rage.

She snatched Cauda's gun off the ground and pointed it at Peter. “Run, run, run!” He yelled when fire barked from the end of the barrel. Nebula fired the gun until the clip was empty, before throwing it aside in frustration. "Where are they going?!"

"Dunno," Cauda rubbed at his throat. He adds bitterly, "But even if I did I wouldn't tell you." 

She glares at Cauda. There's no reason to believe that he's lying. She needed a new plan, she didn't care who won the game, she only wanted Peter to lose. If she let him win, she would have to hear about it for the rest of their lives. "Little brothers are insufferable." She grumbles to herself. 

"Big sisters are worser-er!" Cauda's words fall on deaf ears.

Nebula left him alone in the stairwell. She was still lost in thought. It would waste too much time trying to track Peter down again. She needed to find Heather.

Their baby sister was far slower and weaker than Nebula. This would limit her options. She would avoid hiding anywhere that would require a direct confrontation with Nebula. Heather would undoubtedly be relying on stealth. So, a big room with multiple exits and lots of hiding places was best. Nebula knew that Heather originally went to the left and then downstairs. Assuming she took the most direct path to her hiding spot, that left only one room.

~~•˖✧•★•✧˖•~~

Heather swiped her card through the lock and walked into the hangar bay. There are rows of ships of varying sizes stretching on for as far as the eye could see. A few people are working on computers connected to the ships. “Hi, Morgan!” Heather called out to the exhausted programmer chewing on the end of his pen. 

“Oh good morning Heather.” Morgan glanced away from the computer screen and tried to rub the bags from his eyes.

“It's almost dinner time,” Heather informed him. 

“So it is,” Morgan squinted at his watch. 

Heather skipped over to his desk and grabbed the glass jar full of candy. She stuffed a handful into her coat pocket and popped another piece into her mouth. It was sweet and crunchy. Although in her opinion, all the best candy was imported from Peter's homeworld. She tossed the wrapper to the floor. “I’m hiding from Nebula, don't tell her I'm here!” 

Morgan returned to his coding, “Alright don't break anything.”

“Okay!” Heather chirped. She waved at Dyad and Triptych as she walked past their desks.

There was an obsolete destroyer in the back corner of the hangar. It was slowly being stripped down for parts, most of the outer hull and weapons had already been repurposed. Nothing was ever thrown away here. This destroyer was one of the first to use plant life as a source of oxygen instead of air canisters. Heather had been taking care of the little garden at the heart of the ship. It had overgrown its box, sprawling across the bridge and cockpit. She climbed up to the sapling at the center of the garden.

There is an echo of a rumble coming from somewhere within the ship. The UV lights flickered and swayed overhead. Heather knew an explosion when she heard one, the others must be having fun. She sat down on a patch of moss and closed her eyes. She focused on her breathing until everything else fell away. She reaches out and notices something odd. There are three beings in the hangar but four minds. She couldn't pinpoint where the fourth person was. Heather assumed one of her other siblings had the same idea and was hiding here. Without thinking, she latched onto the fourth mysterious consciousness. 

It was unlike anything Heather had felt before. She was looking at the flight deck and every room, every corridor on an expansive dreadnought. She knew how to control every machine inside the ship. It was as simple as breathing. Before Heather could get used to the sensation, it pushed back hard. It was like psychic whiplash, her temples ached. 'It's rude to invade someone's mind without asking first.' A voice Heather had never heard before resounded through her mind. 

She lost her concentration. The scientists tapping away at the keyboard and the hum of the air filter were suddenly much louder. The pain was unbearable. She covered her ears and breathed deeply. Once she had calmed down, Heather reached out again. She focuses her attention on the fourth consciousness without latching onto it. She thought, 'Sorry, I mistook you for someone else. My name is Heather, what's yours?'

There was a long pause before they replied. Most of the staff went by an alias instead of using their given name. It was safer for their families that way. 'I think I was once called Vorin, but you can call me Guivre.'

The name sounded familiar but Heather couldn’t remember where she heard it. 'Are you a new hire? I thought I knew everyone on staff.'

Guivre made an amused sound. 'You could say that, yes.' Heather relaxed a little. Guivre continued, 'Are you a part of the staff as well?'

That made Heather laugh, 'I'm one of Thanos’ children, his youngest daughter.'

'Thanos’ children… as in the dogs of war? I thought that was a conspiracy theory.' Guivre echoed with both terror and awe. 'He actually goes around kidnapping children to play house with?'

'I'm very real I promise,' Heather deadpanned. 'Now that we know each other, can you show me where you are?' Guivre dropped her psychic ward. They’re inside the dreadnought Morgan was working on. 'Oh, you're working with Morgan on the Ai. I know the deadline is coming up soon, it's nice of you to help out.'

'The Ai.' Guivre made a sound that could have meant anything without knowing what their body language was. 'Heather…. what happens if we don't meet this deadline?' A few memories of the more gruesome deaths pass through Heather's mind. 'By the stars, that's…' Guivre trailed off.

Heather didn't mean for Guivre to see that. 'I'm sorry.'

'No, it’s better that I know about it now,' Guivre replied softly.

Heather felt Nebula's presence the moment she stepped into the hangar. Her mind was a tangled mess of half-formed concepts. It took Heather a few minutes to make sense of what Nebula was thinking. Guivre knew Heather was going to leave before Heather did. It was a little annoying. 'Before you go, would you tell Morgan to check the nitrogen levels in the cooling system?'

'Sure,' Heather agreed. She exhaled slowly, pulling herself back in before opening her eyes. Returning got a little easier every time, but it still left her with a migraine. Nebula was standing in front of the ship, arms folded across her chest. Heather slid down the mossy ramp and scurried up to Nebula. “How did you find me so quickly?” Nebula held up a candy wrapper between two fingers and raised one eyebrow. “Candy betrayed me!” Heather threw the last of the candy on the ground.

“I wanted to ask you–"

“You want me to help you locate Peter, and you'll give me the cabin in return. I'll do it.” Heather didn't wait for Nebula to respond, she started walking towards the exit. 

Nebula blinked in surprise and then followed Heather. “You knew all that but didn't know how I found you.”

“You weren't thinking about the candy wrappers.” Heather ran over to Morgan's desk and called out, “Hey, hey Morgan!” He looked down at Heather curiously. “Guivre wanted me to tell you to check the nitrogen levels or something.”

Morgan opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again. “You spoke... to Guivre?” Dyad flicked her ears curiously.

“Yeah, telepathically. Your assistant is nice,” she said mostly to be polite. She grabbed more candy out of the jar.

“Heather let's go!” Nebula called from the exit. 

“Okay!” Heather shouted back. She waved goodbye to Morgan and ran after Nebula. 

“Morgan,” Dyad spoke with forced ease. “She’s not lying.” 

Morgan turns to look at the dreadnought. “B-but that's not possible.”

~~•˖✧•★•✧˖•~~

The library was O-shaped and spanned four floors. Hanging in the center of the library was the skeleton of an enormous deep sea creature. It was an enormous maze of bookshelves and strange science exhibits. There are books from every empire in the galaxy. The bookshelves felt so tall they might scrape the ceiling. Nebula peered down the seemingly endless corridor, “Are you certain that Peter and Photon are here?”

Heather shushed her, "We whisper in the library, Neby." She pulled two books out of the nearest shelf and peered through the gap. “They're right here.” They were sitting at a table near an exhibit of dead insects with delicate, multi-colored wings. 

Photon and Peter both fought long range. The library gave them a number of projectiles to crush Nebula, and places to hide. She needed to drive them into a wide open space. "Heather, could you move these bookshelves quickly?"

Heather shrugged, "I guess." Nebula quietly explained her plan.

Photon was watching the corridors vigilantly, while Peter looked like he had grown bored of that and was scribbling on a notebook. They both turn to look at the bookshelf behind them as it slowly starts to groan. The scramble away from the table. The bookshelf toppled over. An enormous cloud of dust choked the air. Peter coughed and backed into the corridor without looking away from the bookshelf. "I know it's you, Neb! You don't scare me."

Nebula stepped out from behind the nearest bookshelf, blocking one route of escape. She was carrying Heather on her back. "Peter we don't yell in the library." 

"Shit," Peter jumped back. 

"Heather," the fin on Photon's head stood upright as she narrowed her eyes.

"Hi there," Heather waved and smiled.

"Time to run," Peter announced, shoving Photon back. Nebula pushed them towards the only remaining exit. They took off running. The bookshelves move rapidly. They block any possible route of escape. They were approaching the center of the library. Some of the books fall off the shelves as the bookshelves are yanked around. Peter managed to avoid them but Photon is less agile. 

After the third book hits her in the head, she stopped suddenly and bared her teeth. Her fin pulsed a violent red, "Enough!" She makes a sweeping motion with her hand. A whirlwind of books and dust is thrown directly at Nebula. 

"Ah! I wasn't doing it on purpose!" Heather squealed. Nebula throws her prosthetic arm up to shield her face and barrels forward. The dust obscures her vision. Something metal ahead of her groans. The books feel as heavy as rocks. She grits her teeth. 

They burst out of the dust cloud in time to see Peter standing on the head of the sea creature. "You've lost Nebula!" He was grinning from ear to ear. The last wire holding the creature in place snapped. Photon threw her arms forward. 

The head of the creature swung towards Nebula. "Not yet." She ran towards its open maw.

"Nope." Heather let go of Nebula and fell.

Nebula dived past the rows of pointed teeth and into the rib cage. She grabbed onto one of the ribs as her feet dangled above the ground. Peter stared down at her from his perch on the creature's spine. "Stop chasing me! That was insane!"

Nebula pulled herself up onto the creature's rib. "I'll stop chasing you when you stop running!"

Peter laughed at her. The creature suddenly swerved towards the ceiling. Peter lost his balance. Photon yelled from below, "Give it back! They'll fall, you moron!" 

"But if the skeleton goes that way it'll destroy the books!" Heather protested. She had taken control of the creature from Photon. The creature swims up through the air in a giant arc. Nebula lost her balance as well. She twists in the air so she can see the slow slope of the creature's spine as it moves.

Peter fell between the creature's ribs. He squeezed his eyes shut and braced for pain. She grabbed onto his hand and pulled him into a hug. "You lose." 

He opened one eye, "I never really wanted to win, anyway."

"Liar." 

They slammed into the ground floor. The wind is knocked out of her. She hit her shoulder in the same spot, it was definitely broken now. She tried to open her eyes but the whole room was spinning and she's forced to keep them closed. She takes staggered uneasy breaths. Her whole body aches. She might as well have spent the last few hours training. The door suddenly burst open and Photon and Heather ran over to them. "Are you guys okay?!" Photon asked with concern.

"Just…. Fine…." Nebula wheezed.

Peter groaned in response. Heather translated, "He thinks his leg is broken, his spine feels bruised and he might have a concussion." She lowers her voice to a whisper, "Sorry." 

Nebula listens to him breathe for a few minutes before trying to open her eyes again. The skeleton moved with unnatural grace as it's enormous body glided through the air above them. The wires reattached themselves to the creature. Photon's fin glowed as she returned the creature to its proper place. "You… only won… cause you cheated." Peter finally gained enough breath to speak.

“I didn't cheat.”

He pointed up at Heather, “We agreed… no mind control."

“It's not mind control.” Nebula and Heather chide him in unison.

“Semantics!” Peter threw his hands up in an exasperated gesture. “I want a rematch."

Nebula sighed, “Ronan is coming for a visit at the end of the month.” Heather stiffened when Nebula mentioned his name. The color drained from her face. “Dad will be hosting another tournament, you can lose to me then.” 

Peter groaned, “Boo! That's two weeks away!”

Nebula propped herself up on her elbows and regretted it almost immediately when her head began to spin. Photon offered her a hand up. Nebula took it. She slowly rose to her feet, and clapped Photon on the shoulder, "You just lost."

"Wait, that's not fair! That didn't count!" Photon puffed out her cheeks in frustration.

Peter slowly sat up and laughed at her, "That's whatcha get for being nice!"

"Congrats Heather, you get to move out of the nursery," Nebula deadpanned.

"Huh? Really?"

"Yeah, really," Peter smiled slyly, "No more early bedtimes either. Too bad for you, Pho." Her fin lay flat against her head as she sulked. 

Heather's blank expression gave way to a bright smile. She tackles Nebula in a hug. "Thank you."


	7. Little One

Gamora folded her clothes neatly and put them back into her duffel bag before quietly leaving the room. Downstairs, the restaurant was mostly empty, Cammi drifted between tables, pretending to be busy. The dog lifted his head as Gamora walked into the kitchen. Cammi noticed her duffel bag and set the kettle down on the counter. "You're leaving?"

"Yeah," Gamora gave the old metal key back to Miss Rider. "Thank you for allowing me to stay here." 

She pats Gamora's hand affectionately, "Be safe my dear."

Richie brought Gamora a wrapped lunchbox from the fridge. "What's this?" Gamora picked it up curiously.

"It's to replace your nightmare twinkies, Mom's cooking is way better." He says with a grin.

Gamora tucked it into her duffel bag, "Thanks."

Cammi followed Gamora to the door. "Do you know where you're going?" She asked, "I could take you to the docks."

Gamora chewed her lower lip, she would probably get lost if she went by herself. "I'd appreciate that."

"Be back before the lunch rush, okay?" Miss Rider called after Cammi.

"Yeah, fine!" Cammi sighed melodramatically.

"Goodbye, Richie."

Richie glanced over his shoulder at Gamora, "See you, Princess." Cammi held the door for Gamora, she stepped out onto the city street. She almost felt sad to leave.

She let Cammi set the pace as they walked. They strolled through the market and Cammi went on about some telekinetic Mutant girl, named Matilda. Gamora thought it might have been from a book or something. She didn't understand most of what Cammi said, but that was okay. The city hummed with activity. Cammi occasionally paused to wave at people on the streets. Gamora thought she recognized a couple of them from the diner. After the third time they stopped, Gamora asks, "Who was that?" 

Cammi glanced back at them, "Those are the Ackbery's, they're regulars." She waved and smiled at the people next to them, "and those are the Nathukick brothers."

"Is everyone a regular?" Gamora said.

"Nah, not everybody," Cammi giggled, "Let's see I don't know, uh, " she searched the crowd for an example. "Oh, I don't know them. Might be from the lower floors." Gamora glanced at where Cammi was pointing and froze. Kraglin was leaning against the counter talking to one of the locals, Yondu stood to his left watching the crowd. A chill ran up her spine. 

_You really think that you can outrun us? That we won't find you?_

She felt just as terrified and utterly alone as the day Kraglin had said that. She needed more time. Gamora grabbed Cammi's arm and picked up the pace. She needed to get off this tin can, right the hell now.

"You need to go home," Gamora muttered.

"Wait, what? Why?" Cammi matched her tone.

Gamora kept glancing over her shoulder. She wouldn't feel safe until she put some distance between herself and Yondu. "It's dangerous." Cammi rolled her eyes at Gamora. She glanced over her shoulder. The local woman pointed at Gamora, Kraglin looked directly at them. "Crap." She shoved Cammi into the crowd and ran.

"Hey!" Cammi yelped, the men in red jackets raced past her. People scrambled to get out of their way. Gamora was running in the wrong direction. Cammi wasn't about to go home when things are just getting exciting. She took a shortcut through the alleyways, she'd meet up with them at the next intersection.

Gamora abruptly turned the corner and collided with Horuz. She stumbles backward and fell. "Lookie what I caught here," he sneered down at her. Horuz grabs her forearm hauling her to her feet. With the rush of fear came adrenaline, Gamora stomped on his foot. Horuz grimaced and yanked her forward, "Damn brat!"

Horuz didn't notice Cammi move behind them. She picked up a large broom. "Cammi?"

"What's a Cam-" She hit Horuz over the head with the metal broomstick. He spun to look at Cammi, "the fuck?"

"Let her go, you shit bag!" Cammi growled. Horuz looked stunned to hear that string of curse words come out of the mouth of a 7 year old. Gamora took the chance to lodge her elbow firmly into his gut. His grip loosened enough for her to break free. Cammi tripped him and he fell into the food display. She stuck her tongue out at him.

Gamora punched Cammi lightly in the arm, "Why didn't you go home? It's dangerous, you could die!"

Cammi chuckled and spun the broom like a staff. "To die will be an awfully great adventure."

Gamora narrowed her eyes, "Whoever you're quoting must be a moron too."

"Gamora!" Yondu was stalking towards them.

"We should go." Cammi dropped the broomstick letting it clatter to the ground. She grabbed Gamora's hand and leads them towards the docks.

"She's heading for the elevators!" Kraglin called out. The second mate cut them off at the end of the street. Kraglin and Yondu were closing in on them fast. They were running out of places to go.

Gamora felt her chest tighten, she was suddenly gasping for breath. They were going to capture her again. They'd make her go back to that ship. Yondu was going to be so angry with her. "Quick, up here!" Cammi climbed over the retaining wall and into one of the island gardens. She held out her hand, "They can't get us up here." She was breathless but grinning from ear to ear. Gamora grabbed her hand, and she helped her over the retaining wall. They climbed up the tree in the center of the island garden.

The ravagers stopped at the retaining wall. Yondu glared up at Gamora. "Get your ass down here, little girl!"

"No thanks, I'm good," Gamora shouted down at them.

Yondu snarled, "I ain't playing games wit' you girly! Get down!"

Gamora replies in a stern, quiet voice, "I said, no."

"Damn it, Gamora! If you ain't coming down, I'll come up!"

Cammi laughed at him, "I'd love to see you try, old man!" She plucked a mapple off a branch and hurled it at Yondu. It bounced harmlessly off his shoulder. Gamora's eyes widened slightly, they had ammunition. She plucks two more mapples off of the tree.

Yondu kicked the retaining wall, it shook the whole garden. Hundreds of mapples shook loose from the tree and rained down on the ravagers. They had to retreat from the onslaught of fruit. "You ungrateful little shit! I'm trying to protect you!" He shouted in frustration. His outburst caught the attention of the locals. They whispered amongst themselves, watching with concern.

"Protect me?" Gamora scoffed and stood up on the branch. "You kidnapped me!" She threw a mapple at him, it bounced off his chest. "You yell at me and you hit me!" Two mapples hit his shoulder. "I'm never going to stop trying to get away from you, Yondu!" He caught the last mapple before it hit him. He throws it to the ground and stomps on it with an ugly sneer.

Cammi turned to Gamora, her eyes wide, "That Yondu?" Gamora nodded solemnly in response. Cammi shot to her feet, "We'll be leaving now." The playful, mocking tone was replaced by something more serious.

Horuz and Kraglin exchanged confused glances, "What?" And then Cammi let out a blood-curdling scream.

She hid her face in the crook of her elbow, large wet tears dripped down her face. "Please, don't hurt me! Help, someone, help me!"

"What are you doing to those girls?" A woman shouted at them. Her hand was dangerously close to the blaster in her shoulder rig. Someone else shouted, "Isn't that Cammi? Someone call Rider!" The crowd was pushing closer to the ravagers. Kraglin, Horuz, and Gamora looked dumbstruck. None of them had a clue about how to react to the growing mob. Yondu's prosthetic fin glowed a violent red. Yondu whistled and it felt as loud as a gunshot. Everyone reacted at once.

Gamora flinched away from Yondu. The ravagers drew their blasters a fraction of a second later. Any of the locals who didn't draw their blasters ran for cover. The arrow shot out of its holster leaving a trail of red light. And then a hulking blurry mass of exoskeleton appeared out of nowhere, its toothy maw snatched the arrow out of the air. The dog landed with a loud, thump.

Gamora and the ravagers stare slack-jawed at the dog. Peanut had single-handedly disarmed Yondu. Cammi burst into a fit of laughter, she nearly fell out of the tree. Peanut pranced around happily with his new stick. Gamora spotted Richie and Miss Rider watching at the edge of the crowd. Yondu whistled again and Peanut looked at Richie for another stick to fetch. The arrow rattled between Peanut's teeth. It dragged Peanut forward and the dog tugged back on the arrow playfully. It was a game of tug-of-war. "Well, that's a first, " Kraglin muttered, his attention split between the blasters being shoved in his face and the dog.

Since violence had failed, Yondu was forced to find another way out of the standoff. "This is all a misunderstanding, I'm looking after that girl."

The woman with the shoulder rig shouted up to the girls without looking away from Yondu. "Do you ladies know these men?"

"No, Mrs. Ackbery," Cammi shouted the same moment Gamora mumbled, "I've never seen them before in my life."

"They're lying," Yondu snapped. "Gamora ran away from home, her poor mother is sick with worry."

Gamora's lower lip trembles when her mother is mentioned. "You kidnapped me! Don't talk about my mama!" She threw another mapple at him but missed completely.

Ackbery pointed her blaster at Yondu instead of Kraglin. "You're outnumbered, if you leave now nobody has to get hurt."

Yondu narrowed his eyes, "I've survived worse odds." The mob pushed the ravagers back, away from the garden.

Once it was safe, Miss Rider and Richie emerged from the crowd. Richie ran up to the garden and called out to them. "Hey, are you guys alright!?" Cammi slid down the tree, Gamora climbed down after her. Miss Rider's clothes struck Gamora as odd, she wore a black duster jacket over jeans and a T-shirt instead of her usual apron and dress.

"We're okay!" Cammi replied chipperly, she hugged Richie briefly. "What are you doing here, doofus?"

Richie chuckled, "What a weird way to say: thanks for saving me, Richie, whatever would I do without you?"

Cammi shoved him, "I saved myself! You didn't even do anything."

"Hey! I brought Peanut!" He pointed to the dog.

Yondu lurched forward, and the locals aimed their blasters at him. They kept him from getting close to Gamora. "Get the hell away from them! They're a bounty hunter!"

"We need to leave. These men are dangerous," Miss Rider urged them. Richie helped Cammi down first and then he offered Gamora his hand.

Yondu shoved one of the locals out of the way, "Gamora," someone threw a punch but Yondu easily stepped out of the way. "You need to trust me! You don't understand the danger you're in!"

Gamora backed away from Yondu. "What have you done to deserve my trust?" She took Richie's hand and jumped down from the garden.

Gamora heard Yondu call after her but she didn't turn back. Her hands are shaking. The rush of adrenaline felt like electricity, she needed to move. Gamora ran from the crowds. She ran until her chest ached and her legs hurt. When she stopped running she didn't know where she was. She collapsed on the side of the road. Tears pricked the corner of her eyes, threatening to spill over. Gamora cursed herself for crying. She was so tired of feeling this way.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

"Gamora, " Yondu faltered, as he watched the kids retreat. The bounty hunter glanced back at him and smiled. Rage clouded his thoughts. He kicked someone's knee inward. There was a satisfying snap of bone. His fist clipped some else's jaw, as he sidestepped another blow from his left. He felt the sharp familiar pain of a blaster wound in his chest. The sound of a blaster going off in an enclosed space left his ears ringing. The ravager jackets are blaster proof. It took the brunt of the damage but getting shot could break bones and leave minor burns. The city street erupted into gunfire in mere seconds. He whistled out of habit and then remembered that the dog stole his arrow. He was useless.

Kraglin jumped in front of Yondu, pushing him out of the line of fire. Then the second mate forced him to the back of the group. Yondu wanted to protest but they were right. He couldn't do anything in this fight. He couldn't do anything to protect Gamora. The locals pushed the ravagers back into a nearby alleyway. Yondu leaned against the wall and tried to calm down.

Those idiot kids couldn't protect Gamora from real danger. If the bounty hunters got their hands on Gamora, they'd sell her off to the Kree slavers, the Badoon's farms, or worse, they could deliver Gamora to her father. He couldn't let Ego win. Yondu wanted to punch something or scream. He had to do something! Anything! He felt like the same useless brat Stakar picked up all those years ago. "I'm out," Kraglin shouted, ejecting the empty clip from his blaster. He falls back and Horuz takes his spot. Yondu caught the empty clip and tossed Kraglin a full one. The task of refilling the magazine kept his mind steady. He needed to kill that bounty hunter before they killed Gamora. Another dead child on his hands. Fuck, none of this was his fault.

A blast hit Horuz's shoulder. The force threw him back against the wall. There was a soft pop as his shoulder dislocated. "What the hell is so important about one kid?" He groans through gritted teeth as he tries to pop the bone back in place.

"It's not about the girl, it's about the principle of the thing. Little shit stole from me." Yondu grumbled, "And after everything I've done for her." How could she trust that fucking bounty hunter more than him? Yondu's fin unconsciously flared up.

Horuz shot off five rounds but only two of them hit. "I told you keeping her was a mistake. This never would've happened if we had just dropped her off and got paid."

Yondu punched the wall. The sandstone exterior crumbled away easily, creating a small cloud of dust. "Ya dunno shit about shit! Just shut the fuck up and do your job!"

"Captain, you pay me to," Horuz stopped talking when Yondu outright growled at him.

Kraglin figured now was a good point to step in, "Stop bitching Horuz. Nobody even remembers the second mate's name, do you see him whining?"

The second mate fired off three rounds, two found their mark. Blood and brain matter splattered across the city street. He dropped the empty magazine out of his blaster and Yondu tossed him a full one."That's not a fair comparison! He's not supposed to talk," Horuz said.

"I'd like you more if you didn't talk either," Kraglin replied. Yondu rolled his eyes at them. The second mate fired off two more rounds, they didn't miss. Horuz shoots sporadically, rarely hitting what he was aiming at. Several stray blasts hit the side of the buildings outfitted with sandstone. It kicks up massive amounts of dust making it difficult to see the enemy. "What's the plan, Cap?" Kraglin asked.

"Gimme this," Yondu yanks the blaster out of Horuz's hands. It had been a while since he held a blaster. The weight was comfortable, familiar. He aimed the blaster at the opposite wall.

"What are you–"That's all Horuz gets to say before Yondu empties the clip into the sandstone. It creates a huge rolling dust cloud that covers the city street. They can't see three feet in front of them. Yondu presses a finger to his lips and waves for them to follow. The ravagers creep out of the alleyway, and down the street.

By the time the dust has settled the ravagers are already down the street moving with the crowds. They're covered in a thick layer of grime. Kraglin coughs and spits. Horuz shakes the sand from his hair like a dog. The locals keep their distance from the ravagers, they exchange hushed words about them. They get dirty looks and people hold their children a little closer as they pass. Word travels fast on a small station. "Captain, the plan?" Kraglin prompted him for a second time.

"Kill that damn bounty hunter and bring Gamora home," Yondu growled. He was going to kill that damn dog that stole his arrow too. 

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

Peanut caught up to Gamora first, the giant dog dropped the arrow at her feet. He licked the tears off her face. She smiled and patted his head affectionately, "Thanks, boy." Cammi, Richie, and his mother found Peanut laying in the street so Gamora could rub his belly. Gamora's eyes are puffy and her face is flushed a soft blue-grey.

Miss Rider knelt down next to Gamora, "Are you alright?" Gamora nodded without looking up at her. "We can rest for a few minutes, and move when you're ready," Miss Rider suggested politely.

"No, I wanna go home," Gamora snapped and then takes a breath. "Can you walk with me to the docks? I have a ship there."

Miss Rider nodded and stood up, "Whatever you want, my dear."

Gamora stood up and Richie glued himself to her side. The scent of cinnamon and butterscotch lingered on his clothes after too many hours spent working in the diner. Gamora thought humans were warm and soft. Richie whistled and gave Peanut the command to follow. Gamora flinched, immediately looking around for any sign of Yondu before she realized it was only Richie. "Oh, sorry," He said, "I forgot."

"It's okay," Gamora said numbly.

Peanut picked up the arrow in his mouth and trotted alongside them. The dog leaned against Miss Rider, guiding her as they walked. "How did you know crying like that would work, back there?" Gamora asked Cammi as they reached the elevator.

She laughed like Gamora had said something funny. "I'm a cute girl, people wanna help me."

Richie snorted, "I dunno about cute." Cammi shoved him, and he shoved her back.

"Richie behave," Miss Rider chided him softly.

Richie gave his mother an odd look, "Sorry." They stepped onto the elevator, Cammi held onto the support bar as it lurched up.

Gamora glared at the ground. "If I had cried like that on the Eclector, they would've made fun of me," she grumbled bitterly. Miss Rider glared at nothing and clenched her jaw. The elevator door opened and they stepped out onto the nicer part of town, Miss Rider and Peanut took the lead.

Cammi stares off into space while deep in thought. "Well, crying doesn't work on bad guys, but for every Yondu in the galaxy, there's someone like Miss Rider too. They want to help and they will if you let them." She plucked a flower from a nearby garden and tucked it into Gamora's hair. "You're adorable. You should use it."

Gamora flushed and touched the flower in her hair. "It's plastic." She didn't know why she was surprised.

"Like this shithole could afford real flowers, " Cammi scoffed.

"Cammi!" Richie squeaked, glancing nervously at his mother. To his surprise, Gamora and Miss Rider both chuckled. 

When they reached the docks, the harbormaster buzzed them through decontamination. There were two new ships docked there. Gamora immediately recognized the Scarab, it was part of Yondu's fleet of ships. The other ship was polished silver, with green racing stripes painted along the sides, and two huge machine guns mounted on the front. Cammi's mouth opens in awe and walks towards it. "Be careful!" Miss Rider grabbed Cammi just before she tripped over a loose tile. 

"Whoop, thanks," She chuckled awkwardly. Richie froze in place. The color drained from his face he clenched his fists at his sides.

"Hey, Ma!" Richie picked up a rock. His mother turned to look at him, as Richie hurled the rock at her head.

"Richie!" Cammi shrieked in alarm. Gamora turned to look.

Miss Rider easily caught the stone before it hit her. Richie glared at her, "You are not my mother."

Miss Rider chuckled, "Well, look at you." She says in a voice that they have never heard before. It was low and smooth, with an accent that Gamora couldn't place. "You're pretty smart for some nobody backwater kid. What gave it away?"

"My Ma hates it when Cammi swears and she never calls me by my nickname," he explained harshly.

Cammi slowly backed away from the woman. "Miss Rider is blind. You kept me from tripping and earlier–nobody told you that I put a flower in Gamora's hair. You shouldn't have known." 

When the woman blinks her inner set of eyelids, her eyes turn gold with narrow pupils. Her hair grew longer and turned a dark brown, hiding her ears. Her skin cracked and flaked away revealing scaly forest green skin beneath. She takes a bow and holds open her duster. "You can call me Jazinda." There was an ornate patch on the inside of her jacket with the words: Lionhead's bounty hunters guild.

Her hand went to her hip. Gamora tensed, ready to run if she drew her weapon. Richie whistled, "Settle," Peanut dropped the arrow and snarled at Jazinda.

"Easy, " Jazinda held up her hands, palms out, towards the dog. "Just reaching for my transmitter. If I wanted to hurt you I would have done it already."

Gamora narrowed her eyes, "I've heard that line before."

"Aren't you curious about who put a bounty out on you, little Gamora?" Jazinda says in a soothing tone of voice. "Somebody is waiting for you to come home. I'm here to help."

Gamora's heart leaped into her throat, it had to be her mother. She was certain. She throws Richie a pleading look. He didn't look convinced. "She's a liar."

"You have been so brave, escaping from Udonta all by yourself." She takes a step towards Gamora. "You don't have to do this by yourself anymore. I'll take you home."

Peanut noticed that someone was coming before anyone else did. He turned and growled as Yondu and the others strode onto the docks. He noticed his arrow laying on the ground but didn't move to holster it. "Gamora!"

Her eyes went wide with panic. She took off running for the Anilius. Richie and Cammi followed. "Lil' girl when I get my hands on you I'll–" 

Jazinda pulled her gun on Yondu, and stuck one hand in her pocket. "You'll do nothing! Take one more step and it will be your last." 

Yondu studied her clothes, thinking out loud he said, "You're the same bounty hunter from before. You're a long way from home, Skrull."

"And somebody cut off your fin, poor little Centaurian," Jazinda cooed at him, tauntingly. "If we're done pointing out the obvious, care to dance, boys?"

The ravagers leveled their blasters at Jazinda. In the same second, she pressed a button on her keys.

The kids jumped as the flight deck became a battleground. They took cover behind the old water hauler. Cammi covered her ears trying to suppress the sound of gunfire. The twin machine guns mounted on the front of Jazinda's ship sputter to life. Yondu and Kraglin hit the deck. Horuz takes cover behind the wall that separates the flight deck from the rest of the docks. A spray of bullets hit the wall. Kraglin and the second mate managed to get off five rounds. Three rounds scorched the hull of her ship. Two more hit her chest. She's thrown back against the hull of the ship. A bullet went clean through the second mate's skull. He dropped like a rag doll. 

In the next second, Jazinda turned into a bird, grabbed her things, and flew away from the battle. Yondu rolled onto his back and whistled. The arrow shot off towards the machine guns but started to curve off to the left. It shattered the Scarab's window. Broken glass was thrown across the flight deck. Horuz cringed because he knew he'd be the one to fix it, "You missed!" Yondu spat a curse, how the fuck did he miss? He tried to call the arrow back, but it swerved to the left again and nearly hit Horuz, "Watch it!"

"We need to take out those machine guns," Kraglin said, taking shots at the ship.

"I know!" Yondu yelled in frustration, "I'm gonna kill that damn dog!" The dog must have bent the arrow. It couldn't fly in a straight line.

The machine guns suddenly stopped. The silence was deafening, Yondu and Kraglin exchanged glances. They watched the machine gun cautiously as they slowly got off the ground. There was a loud mechanical clank, as the machine guns reloaded. "Go. Go, go, go!" Kraglin shouted as he ran to where Horuz was taking cover. It takes Yondu three tries to hit the metal joint holding the left machine gun to the ship. The joint snaps in half. It slides off the ship and lands on the flight deck. The right machine gun spits out a spray of bullets in Yondus direction. He's forced to retreat behind the steel wall with Kraglin and Horuz. The wall was already dented, it wouldn't last forever.

"Horuz, it's a 6th gen Xandarian racing ship. Where's the core located?" Horuz thought for a moment and then did his best to describe the layout of the ship.

Horuz folded his arms, "Are you sure this is a good idea? You're shooting blind, and if you miss even once it could give away the plan." 

Yondu looked Horuz in the eye, "I won't miss." He whistled. They held their breath.

Jazinda's ship exploded in a fireball of death and destruction. Yondu hadn't considered that taking out Jazinda meant damaging his own ships. The Scarab caught the worst of the shrapnel. It cut through the hull like tissue paper. It skewered the ship's core and set off a second explosion. Metal shrapnel took out the upper half of the wall. When Yondu's ears stopped ringing he could hear the soft roar of the air filtration system. It was quickly trying to replenish the air supply. Every breath made his chest ache, and he was light-headed. His skin felt hot from the radiation. He coughed, "Everyone still alive?"

Horuz groaned in response. Kraglin was picking metal out of his skin, "Ow." Yondu stands up and surveyed the area for any sign of the bounty hunter. A Skrull could shapeshift into anything, down to the DNA. That's why their militia lasted so long against the Kree.

"Sir, I don't think anything could have survived that," Kraglin mumbled as if he was reading Yondu's thoughts.

"Then where's the damn body, Krags?!" Yondu walked a few feet and picked his arrow up off the ground. It was still smoldering. "Skrulls are fucking cockroaches."

Behind the old water hauler, Jazinda slapped a fresh magazine into her rifle. The kids were huddled in a group behind her. She pressed one finger to her lips. Gamora nodded to say she understood, Richie grabs her hand and glares at Jazinda. 

"You think that she's with the kid?" Horuz said.

"No!" Yondu snapped and then sighed, "Maybe… Shit." He rubbed his temples. "They ran towards the Anilius. Kraglin you're with me, Horuz–see if you can get her seaworthy again." He slapped the hull of the ship and a large panel broke loose and hit the deck.

Horuz cringed, "Aye, sir." 

Kraglin followed Yondu inside the ship. Horuz sighed heavily and surveyed the damage. Jazinda shouldered her rifle and walked up behind Horuz. "Hey, shitbag, drop your weapon!" Jazinda called out to him.

Horuz slowly pulled out his blaster and slid it across the flight deck. "How are you still alive? Who are you?"

"I'm a cockroach," Jazinda replied flatly. She picked up his blaster and stuffed it into her jacket pocket. "How long will it take you to fix the ship?"

Horuz glanced nervously at the ship. "An hour at least, without help."

"Alright," she turned and waved the children over. They cautiously made their way over to Jazinda. "If he tries anything, have your little dog bite his dick off."

Gamora and Richie looked both mildly alarmed and disgusted. "I'm not gonna make him–"

"Okay!" Cammi agreed. With that, Jazinda disappeared inside the ship.

Richie frowned, "What do you think she's going to do?"

"I...I don't know," Gamora said but she meant she didn't want to think about it.

"Whatever it is I bet it'll be fun," Cammi sighed enviously. Horuz picked through the wreckage looking for salvageable parts or tools to fix the Anilius. He was ignoring the children entirely, which meant that Cammi wouldn't get to see Peanut maul him. 

Richie paced a few steps and ran a hand through his hair. "Are you certain that Jazinda is gonna take you home?"

Gamora shrugged, "Anything is better than staying with Yondu."

Once Horuz was certain the children were no longer paying attention to him, he slipped his hand into his pocket and opened the frequency he shared with the other ravagers. 

"You can always stay with us, Gamora," Richie offered gently.

"No, I wanna go home!"

Yondu was surprised to hear Gamora's voice echo throughout the bridge. He spun around twice before he realized the sound was coming from his transmitter. "Kraglin, the brat is back outside!" He turned to stalk back out in the hallway. He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Sorry, he's a lil' busy right now," Jazinda said. She pressed the edge of a blade against Kraglin's throat. She raised her rifle, pointing the barrel at Yondu. He clenched his fists at his sides and glared her down.

Gamora hears the unmistakable sound of gunfire from inside the ship and moves a little closer to Peanut. Richie fidgets nervously, his attention torn between the ship and Horuz. "We could still leave." Gamora doesn't dignify that with a response. 

Cammi had grown increasingly bored with the situation. She rolls a coin across the metal floor and calls out to Horuz, "Are you sure you're a pirate? You don't have a hook for a hand or a big feathery hat." Horuz tried to ignore her.

"He does have the red coat," Richie remarked.

Gamora gives them an odd look, "You don't need those things to be a pirate."

"Oh, well that's lame," Cammi sighed. She held up the coin she had been playing with up until now, "If I give you five units will you say 'shiver me timbers'?"

Richie burst into a fit of giggling, "Oh, my god."

Horuz glared at her with murderous intent, "Are you making fun of me?"

"You drive a hard bargain, sir!" Cammi pulled out a handful of coins. "I'll give you fifteen units! But you have to say 'Arrgh' too!" Gamora snickered and hid her face in her hands.

"Listen, you little snot nosed brat," When Horuz takes a step forward, Peanut let out a low growl.

"Careful, if you aren't nice to me my doggy gets to eat you, Mr. Pirate," Cammi smiles tauntingly. Horuz regards the dog with disdain. "He's tasted flesh before."

"That's not true," Richie said.

"He's a killing machine! He's trained to destroy!"

"Everything you've said is false," Richie complained. Horuz looked very confused and mildly irritated.

Suddenly, the main hatch to the Anilius is thrown open. Yondu retreated down the gangplank and onto the docks. A creature, unlike anything Gamora had ever seen before burst out of the ship. It was a black shambling mess of wings and limbs, as soon as something formed it vanished again. It looked like it was made of ink. Yondu called the arrow. It flew out of the ship and towards the creature, but its body simply made a hole for it. "Damn it, damn it," He whistled again. The creature pounced on Yondu. A hand covered his mouth and then melted into black liquid. The creature suddenly looked humanoid. It's free hand turned into a blade, it moved to strike. 

"Stop!" Kraglin staggers out of the ship. He looked bruised and scratched but otherwise fine. "If you bring Gamora to Ego she will die!"

The creature paused, it turned its head to look back at Kraglin. "What?" 

Yondu held up his transmitter and it recoiled violently. It scrambled away from Yondu, it's shapeshifted and Jazinda was left in its place. She had one hand clamped over her bleeding ears, "Ow!" 

Richie turned pink and closed his eyes, then quickly covered Cammi's eyes as well. "Hey!" She squeaked. 

Yondu gasped for breath as he sat up. Kraglin looked away and coughed. "Uh, here's your jacket." He tossed it to her.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Jazinda gave him a shallow smile and covered herself with the jacket. "How did you know that her father's name is Ego?"

"Cause we… we got the job before you." Yondu was wheezing slightly. "Not that it's any a' your business."

She tilted her head to the side. "I can still rip out your throat if you'd prefer." Yondu groaned and flashed his teeth in a snarl. "You lost, fish boy, get over it."

"Can we look now?" Richie asked.

Jazinda chuckled, "Yeah, you're good." He opened his eyes and Cammi shoved him away.

"Ego hired us ta round up all his little ones and bring them home. The money was good enough that nobody wanted ta ask any questions. But..." Kraglin paused and threw a concerned look back at Gamora, who was listening intently. 

Yondu cleared his throat and glanced at Gamora. "I didn't want ta tell you. At least then you could imagine you're father ta be whoever ya wanted." He chuckles darkly, "Never thought some brat would actually manage ta get away from me."

"Ego is killing his kids," Kraglin muttered.

"Alright," Jazinda sighed and stood up. "That's a cute story an' all, but why should I believe you?" She pointed at Gamora, "She says you kidnapped her. I've got a father missing his daughter, and there's a rumor that you got kicked out of your guild for trafficking children. You know how bad this looks?"

Yondu sighed heavily and Kraglin cringed. Gamora furrowed her brow and suddenly spoke up, "I… I've never met my baba. My mama said he vanished before I was born." She grabbed onto the hem of her sweater to keep her hands from shaking. "You said you were gonna take me home!"

Jazinda frowned, "I know what I said."

"You can't go home." Yondu snapped, "Ego will just keep sending bounty hunters after you. You would be putting your mama in danger."

"No!" Gamora's eyes filled up with tears and she stomped her foot. "No, you're lying! You're a liar! I wanna go home to my mama!"

"Woah, easy kid," Jazinda said.

Kraglin made a face, "She's not a horse."

"I wanna go home! I want my mama!" Gamora stomped her foot again. "I want mama!" She chokes down a sob and rubs at her eyes frantically.

"Don't start with that," Yondu grimaced and shifted uncomfortably. Richie and Cammi didn't know what to do.

Kraglin walked over and dug several tissues out of his pocket. He knelt down and offered them to Gamora. Her friends eyed him warily, but Gamora accepted the tissues. She cleaned herself up the best she could, and then let Kraglin wipe away her tears. She takes several deep breaths and managed to calm down a little bit. "If you need ta be upset you go on an be upset."

She wanted to wrap her arms around his waist and hug him as tight as she could, but she held herself back. "I'm still mad at you," She mutters. "I wanna go home." 

”That's fine, I ain't sorry," he said. Gamora leaned her shoulder against Kraglin and he rubbed small circles on her back. 

Jazinda opened her mouth and then closed it again as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. Eventually, she closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "Do you guys have any proof whatsoever?" 

Yondu shrugged and stood up. "Yeah, I got proof, but it's all back on my ship, on Leeto." 

"Alright. Well, there's only one working ship here, so I suppose we can go to Leeto. If that's alright with you, kid?" Jazinda asked although she had already guessed the answer.

Gamora looks at Kraglin, then at Jazinda, and finally at Yondu. He refused to look her in the eye, choosing instead to glare at the ship. Nobody here could get her home. She may never see her mother again. She opened her mouth to speak and Richie interjects, "You don't have to–"

She clung to Kraglin's jacket, squeezed her eyes shut tight, and yelled, "I don't care! I don't care." Richie winced and didn't argue with her.

"Okay, it's settled then." Jazinda nodded and glanced about the docks for her things. "We're headed to Leeto."

Gamora isn't certain how long she stood there clinging to Kraglin's side. She felt devastated and angry and terribly lonely all at once. She feels a little better after crying, and Kraglin's presence was comforting too. Eventually, he patted her head and gently pushed her away. "Ya better go say your goodbyes, kiddo. Ya don't wanna leave on bad terms." 

She takes a couple of deep shuddering breaths before she moves away from Kraglin. Cammi offers her a sad half-smile while Richie looks dejected. She intertwined her fingers with his and pressed their foreheads together. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help you." 

"No, you helped me plenty." Gamora shook her head. "We're friends." He nodded and smiled a little.

Cammi stuck out her tongue, "Gross! You're gonna make me puke!" Gamora giggled and then tackled Cammi in a hug. "Agh! No! You're smothering me!" She squealed. 

"I'll miss you too!" Gamora replied. She let Cammi shove her away. 

Cammi glanced over at Yondu and Gamora noticed her smile falter ever so slightly. "I know things are really scary right now, but if they get too scary you can always call me okay?"

"Oh me too! Me too!" Richie and Cammi wrote their numbers on Gamora's arm. She didn't have a transmitter but she could find a way to call them if she needed to. She hugged her friends again and then said goodbye to Peanut the dog.

"You ready, kid?" Kraglin asked her gently.

"No." Gamora shook her head and then grabbed onto his hand, "But I'm going anyway."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen I know Jazinda is from She-Hulk and not the Guardians comics but she fit the role I had for the story and I love her dumbass gay energy


	8. Blue on Black

The children’s living quarters was complete chaos. Their nanny is trying their best to get everyone ready for the dinner but the whole event was like fighting an uphill battle. The eldest children helped the younger ones get ready. As a middle child, Peter was only responsible for making himself presentable, However, everything ran more smoothly when they all looked out for each other. 

His little brother, Nexus tugged on his jacket, “Peter, I need help with my shoes! Can you show me the bunnies, again?” 

“Yeah, no problem.” Peter knelt down to help Nexus. "You make a little bunny like this, then you fold his ears together like that, see." Nexus watched intensely, trying to commit it to memory. 

Their eldest sister Kekallie called out, “Peter, could you come here for a sec?"

“Yeah!” He yelled back, then patted Nexus on the shoulder. “I'll be right back, try and tie the other one.” 

Nexus nodded intensely, "Okay!" Peter weaved through the crowd until he found Kekallie sitting on the floor with Cauda. She was consoling him the best she could. 

Kekallie flashed a sad smile at Peter. “Cauda is missing his hair clip. Have you seen it?”

Peter shifted his weight, “The one with the flower or the one with the insect.”

“The flower.” Cauda sniffled and rubbed his eyes. “My mommy gave it to me.” 

"This is serious, then. Did you check the gym?” Proxima Midnight made you remove all your jewelry and weapons before entering. Cauda always forgot to pick his stuff up before leaving. He shook his head and Kekallie rubbed his back. “I'll go look for it, you sit tight."

Peter sprinted down the hallway, pushing past his siblings. The door to the stairwell slid open, Peter jumped over the railing. He dropped down a few floors before catching himself on the railing and pulling himself to safety. He jogged down the hallway and into the gym. Sitting at the bottom of Cauda's cubbie is the delicate snowdrop encased in amber. Peter sighed happily and he tucked the hair clip into his jacket pocket. Peter hurried back upstairs.

When he returned to the crowded stretch of hallway, Nexus was waiting for him. “Peter look! I tied it all by myself!” He announced proudly.

Peter grinned and looked over Nexus' handiwork. "Hey, that's great!" He ruffled his little brother's hair and Nexus giggled. "Finish getting dressed, okay?" 

"Okay!" Nexus chirped. 

Peter pushed his way through the crowd. He found Cauda and Kekallie on the floor, right where he left them. Cauda was huddled in a ball, sniffling softly. Peter knelt down so he was eye level with Cauda and pulled the hair clip out of his pocket. “You found it!” Cauda tackled Peter in a hug, his horns brushed against Peter's cheek. “Thank you!”

“Yeah, no problem,” Peter chuckled. When Cauda pulled away, Peter clipped the flower into Cauda's hair. “You need to take better care of this,” Peter scolded him, “it's important.” 

Cauda touched the hair clip affectionately. “I will, I promise.”

“Cauda, ” Kekallie stood up and offered her hand. “You need to put your shoes on now, alright?” She helped Cauda off the ground.

“Yeah, okay.” Cauda sighed and hurried back to his cabin. 

Peter turned to leave but Kekallie grabbed him by the collar. “Hold it!” Peter sighed as his older sister glanced over his outfit. She pulled back his jacket, “What is that?”

Peter was wearing a light green T-shirt under his formal jacket. "My Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-shirt," He said meekly.

“You cannot wear that to dinner,” Kekallie pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Aw c'mon, this is my favorite shirt!" Peter stomped his foot. "The stupid buttons on my collared shirt choke me and I hate it!"

She lets out an exasperated sigh, “you cannot wear your light up gym shoes either.” 

“This is so not cool!” Peter folded his arms over his chest and pouted. “I’m eight full cycles now! I can dress myself!”

“Apparently not, ” Kekallie observed. Cauda yelled for her and she shoved Peter towards his cabin. “I know for a fact that you own dress shoes and a nice shirt. Please go put them on.” Peter changed his outfit twice before Kekallie deemed it acceptable for dinner. He wore his crimson red collar shirt under the formal black jacket, with slacks and dress shoes. Peter hated black, but the jacket was a gift from Thanos, it was embroidered with their rank and security clearance. They were required to wear them to dinner.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

Ronan the Accuser—the Kree warlord who sanctioned the genocide of billions and brought interplanetary empires to their knees—was leisurely sipping ice tea while he bounced his daughter on his knee. The scene was so jarring that Peter tripped and stumbled into Nebula. She elbowed him in the ribs and hissed, “Watch it!” She was the spitting image of her mother, with peach skin, silver eyes, and platinum blonde hair. The King of the Badoon Brotherhood and his three sons sat next to them. They sat with the other warlords up on the dais, separated from everyone else in the Mess Hall. 

The mess hall has polished marble walls and three chandeliers that sparkle like gold. The tables are covered in silk cloth and there's a bouquet freshly cut from their garden. The mess hall looks more like a ballroom inside a fantasy castle than it did a cafeteria. The children walk into the mess hall in two single file lines. The Black Order joins Thanos and the other warlords at the table on the platform.

Peter kept staring at Ronan as he whispered to Nebula. “Did you know Ronan had a daughter?”

“Stepdaughter,” Nebula corrected. She found an empty chair and stood behind it, Peter chose the seat next to her. “Sel-enic is from Crystal’s previous marriage. We learned about her in our history lesson last week.” 

“Sit,” Thanos thundered. Peter and his siblings pulled out their chairs and sat down in unison. Sel-enic was watching them with wide round eyes, while the King's sons who had seen this display many times before we're unimpressed.

“Right, right, I totally remember that.” Peter nodded his head and folded his arms across his chest. “Could you remind me why anyone would want to marry genocide smurf again?”

Miertra chuckled, “Crystal is marrying Ronan to end the decades of war between their two empires, silly.”

Nebula glared at him. “You better watch your tongue before someone cuts it out again. Dad wouldn't approve of you insulting his associates.” Peter wasn't sure if that was a threat or a warning. 

“Thanos won’t find out because no one is going to tell him,” Peter whispered back. The servants drifted around the mess hall serving the first course of their meal. 

“Not even five minutes and you are already causing trouble.” Voros sighed and tossed a bread roll to Peter. 

He caught it. The pretzel bread was still warm. “I'm being careful, they can't hear us.” Peter insisted as he took a bite from the roll.

“Except Ebony Maw, ” Miertra pointed out.

“Oh shit, Ebony!” Peter echoed with pure horror. He stood up to get a better look at Ebony. The telepath wasn't focused on Peter, his full attention was on Heather. She was sitting by herself, glaring at her bowl of soup as if it had committed some horrible atrocity against her. The spoon bent in her hand. She didn't even notice. Peter sank slowly back into his chair. “Uh hey, has Heather been acting weird lately?”

Voros and Miertra look at each other and then back at Peter. “She has been awfully moody recently, ” Miertra shrugged.

Voros waved his fork in the air, “Kekallie told me Heather threw a temper tantrum this morning. She did not say what it was about.” 

“Hm, ” Peter stood up again. “We should go sit with her.” 

“We?” Miertra raised his eyebrows.

“I would prefer not to,” Voros grumbled.

Peter frowned at them. “Neb come with me.” 

Nebula rolled her eyes at him, “No way, I already sat down, and besides dad is watching us."

Peter narrowed his eyes at her, "Are you saying you're… too chicken?" He grinned impishly.

“Don't even think about it. I swear by the stars,” She snarled. Peter clucked like a chicken at her. He does is quietly at first and then slowly increased the volume until their siblings were staring at him.

“Peter! You're gonna get in trouble!” Miertra was mortified. None of this stopped Peter from standing up and crowing like a roster. Thanos shot an annoyed look in their direction. Ronan's stepdaughter and the King's youngest sons giggled at his antics and Peter winked at them.

Nebula shot to her feet and dragged Peter down. “Enough! You win, okay? I'll go.” 

He grabbed his plate and silverware, “Thank you.” 

“Succumb to the void,” Nebule growled at him.

The mess hall settled down as they walked over to Heather's table. The air around her felt thin. The closer he got the more his head hurt. Peter set his plate down in the empty spot next to Heather. “Can I sit here?” She nodded without looking up from her soup. Nebula sat across from them, brooding quietly. Peter knew something was bothering her but didn’t know how to ask her about it, or if he could even fix it. 

A servant set a bread basket down on the table. Peter snatched up more warm pretzel bread. Kekallie was watching them and dragged her chair over to their table. “Maybe you should eat something besides bread,” She suggested.

“Maybe you should mind your own business.” Peter really only wanted one or two more bread rolls, but since Kekallie tried to shame him, Peter had to commit to it. He made direct eye contact with her while he made a bread pyramid on his plate. He emptied both bread baskets. 

“That’s an ungodly amount of bread, ” Nebula observed with a bored expression.

Peter gestured at Nebula with his bread roll. “Has anyone ever told you that you sound like an old wizard that's grey-haired and grey-clad, and leans on a staff?”

Kekallie interjected, “That’s oddly specific.” 

“Because that's what you sound like,” Peter talked over her.

“Maybe you're the one who talks funny.” Heather's voice is barely above a whisper.

“I don't talk funny!” Peter protested through a mouthful of bread. 

“Sometimes I think you speak a made-up language only you understand,” Nebula said.

Heather nodded in agreement. “C’mon man, that's like, totally not cool. Super grody to the max.” Kekallie said in an exaggerated American accent. Nebula nearly spits her drink across the table. Heather burst into a fit of giggling. 

“I don’t sound anything like that!” Peter threw a bread roll at her but he was smiling. Kekallie caught it with ease. His bread pyramid toppled over and rolled onto the floor. “My bread pyramid!” He managed to catch two pieces.

Heather pointed at the fallen bread and announced, “That the fate's punishment for your gluttony.” 

Peter rolled his eyes in response, “Fate be damned. I'm gonna eat all the bread I want.” Heather cracks a small smile. The psychic pressure around her relaxed. She chatted and joked with them. Peter piled meat and root vegetables onto his plate. Kekallie cut Heather's food into tiny pieces for her. The rest of the dinner was uneventful and calm. The way a real family dinner should have been.

As soon as dessert was cleared away, Thanos invited everyone up to the observation deck above the gym's arena. For the children, it wasn't really an invitation as much as it was an order.

There's a thick plated glass window separating the observation deck from the arena. The children and the small number of guards the warlords had brought along, stood in front of the window. Thanos and the other warlords were seated in a separate lounge area, while the servants floated around serving snacks and drinks.

Edbe and Photon went first. Edbe was a Remeir, an amphibious species that had limited control over electricity, while Photon was considered a skilled telekinetic (even for a Centaurian.) This made their sparring sessions a spectacle. The rules of each fight are simple. The younger child got to pick the terrain, and it was an Anything-Goes fight. It was only over when Thanos says it is. Although, their father had a nasty habit of allowing the fights to go far longer than they should. These fights always filled Peter with a deep feeling of dread, and concern. He grabbed a bowl of berries from one of the servants and munched on them in an attempt to calm his nerves.

It was this moment that Sel-enic slid off her stepfather's lap and skipped over to them. Two of the Kree militia broke off from the group to guard her. “Good evenin',” Sel-enic said in Kree. Her accent told of an upbringing on the Kree colonies, which was unusual for someone in her social standing. Heather went completely still.

“Good evening,” Nebula echoed her sentiment politely in Kree. Peter tried to reply but choked on the berries he was eating. He had to wash it down with water. “You're an embarrassment, ” Nebula hissed under her breath in Standard.

When Peter could speak again he said in Kree, “Hi, I'm Nebula's little brother, Peter.” Nebula stepped on his foot, her face flushed a touch purple. "We haven't met before."

She curtsied gracefully, "I'm Sel-enic daughter of Ronan and Crystal. Uh, if ya don't mind me askin', are you really the children of Thanos?" Her eyes sparkled curiously and she leaned into Peter's personal space.

He smiled shyly and rubbed his neck. "Yeah, really." 

Sel-enic narrowed her eyes. "You're assassins trained by the legendary Thanos?"

"Yes." Nebula replied.

"You go on top-secret missions where you kill people and steal weapons?"

"Yes."

"That's so cool!" Sel-enic squealed. Peter and Nebula are both caught by surprise, neither are certain how to react. Heather's expression turned grim. "Ah! Phyla is never gonna believe me when I tell her you're real! Wait–If I tell people I met you, will you have to kill me?!"

Peter can't stop himself from giggling, "Nah, I–I think you'll be good." Nebula can only stare at her with bewilderment.

One of her escorts placed a gentle hand on Sel-enic's shoulder. "Miss, perhaps you should mind that volume at which you speak."

Sel-enic suddenly realized how loud she was being, and that the other children were staring at her. "Whoops." She blushed and straightened out her dress. "Sorry, guess that's not very polite a' me."

Peter pretends to cough to cover his laughter. "It's fine. You, uh, you only moved in with your step-dad recently, right?"

Sel-enic hung her head bashfully, "Yes, earlier this year. He seemed scary at first but he's actually really nice." 

"Nice?" Heather clenched her fists at her sides. The air suddenly felt very thin. 

She nodded, "Yeah, he's good to me. He bought me this dress so I'd have somethin' nice to wear."

"Do you have any idea how many people he's slaughtered?" Heather can barely keep herself from snarling. "How many planets he's destroyed?"

The pressure in the room was slowly building. Peter's head began to ache. Sel-enic pressed one hand to her forehead, "That–that wasn't dad's fault. That's just what war is." Her escort goes on guard, they're watching Heather closely.

"They were wars he started! It's his fault! It's all his fault!"

Sel-enic furrowed his brow, she sways on her feet. "W-what?" There's a dull rumbling in Peter's ears. Heather glares Sel-enic down.

Ebony Maw appears out of nowhere and gingerly places a hand on Heather’s shoulder. The pressure suddenly vanished. Sel-enic shook her head. “You are up next my dear,” Ebony said before he dropped his voice to a whisper. He steered Heather away from Sel-enic. Peter barely heard him say, “That girl is under my protection.” He watched them disappear into the crowd. 

The whole exchange left a bad taste in his mouth. The youngest Badoon prince, Lu'viem, hurried to Sel-enic's side. He looked concerned. "Are you alright?" He was the black sheep of their family. Unlike his two older brothers who resembled their father, Lu'viem looked like his mother. He had dark green hair, dull red skin, and brown eyes. Sel-enic managed a small nod, as she tried to compose herself.

"Thanks for asking, we're doing great, Lulu," Peter remarked dryly. 

Nebula pinched his side and turned slightly so Lu'viem couldn't see what she was saying. "Don't be jealous."

"I'm not!" Peter hissed back, a tad louder than intended.

Lu'viem sighed, "Please address me by the name my mother gave me or my title, Peter. How many times must I ask this of you?"

"27 times, your princelyness," Peter said with a mock bow. Sel-enic giggled and Nebula rolled her eyes. 

The two elder Badoon princes made their way over as well. Cul'our, the middle brother, pushed Peter and Nebula aside so he grabbed onto Lu'viem's horn. He tugged on it. "Lulu," he intoned mockingly, "Don't be such a girl. The next fight is about to start." 

Nebula leaned over to whisper in Cul'our's ear. "What's wrong with being a girl?"

"Gah!" He jumped, scrambling to get away from her. He let go of his younger brother in the process. Peter waved his fingers at Cul'our. "It's–uh, nothing. Nothing is wrong with being a girl, b-but uh,"

"Neb knows about 600 different ways to break your arm. You better answer carefully," Peter taunted him.

"All our women are pacifist, as you are aware, Miss Titan. Little Lulu is perturbed by gratuitous acts of violence. We simply do not wish for his aversion to be mistaken as disrespect by your father, of course." Tenebris, the eldest of the three, says in a condescending tone of voice. His yellow eyes bore holes into Nebula but his expression remained blank. He had light green hair and scaley olive skin. there was a strawberry birthmark on his neck. 

Nebula folded her arms across her chest and sighed uneasily. Cul'our hid behind his older brother. "A-anyway, father requested that you return before the next fight begins. Miss Sel-enic you should return as well."

"Okay," Sel-enic agreed. She smiled at Nebula and Peter. "You should come sit with us!"

Peter winced as Nebula stiffened. Her expression softens a touch as she looks over at Thanos. "No, uh, we'll have to pass," he says quietly because Nebula could not.

Sel-enic furrowed her brow, "Why? Don't you want to sit with your dad?"

"Sel-enic, they aren't like us," Cul'our muttered. Lu'viem throws them an apologetic look before taking Sel-enic's hand and leading her away. Cul'our trailed after them, he keeps a careful eye on Nebula as he retreats.

Only Tenebris lingered. "We received an intriguing report from our militia the other day. A little gunslinger with blonde hair and glowing red eyes stole a prototype from our science vessel."

"Really?" Peter resisted the urge to smile. 

"Yes, it happened after my father denied Thanos' request to relinquish the prototype to him," Tenebris said.

"Too bad, maybe we could have provided some security if your father had not been so stubborn," Nebula replied dryly.

Tenebris nodded, his expression never gives anything away. It was like talking to a statue. "I should be off. Give us a good show, yes?" He walked away without waiting for a reply.

Peter waited for him to get out of earshot before sticking out his tongue, "Ugh! I hate that guy! I can't believe he's related to Lulu!" 

"I can't say I haven't thought about stabbing him," Nebula grumbled, "but we shouldn't speak ill of father's associates, at least not so loudly." 

Peter sighed loudly, he knew Nebula was right but didn't want to admit it. "At least the new girl is cute." Nebula rolled her eyes.

Photon was declared the winner of their fight. Their siblings watch somberly, as the medical team tends to the worst of Edbe and Photon’s wounds. The arena resets to an empty white box. Cleaning bots skitter across the floor mopping up the blood. Fear's icy fingers grip Peter's heart as Heather stalks into the arena. No good could come of this. Ebony returned to the observation deck, standing guard by the window. The arena shuttered and then shifted. A golden meadow sprouted from the floor, a soft lilac sky appeared with two suns hanging overhead. The meadow gave way to a black sand beach where waves crash against rocks. It seemed endless. Peter had to remind himself that Heather was still in the same empty room as before. She turns to glare up at the observation deck. Cauda walked into the arena.

Peter heard the warlord chuckle, “I remember that place. Certainly, a little spitfire, isn’t she?” 

Thanos nodded in agreement, “That she is.” He was not nearly as amused as Ronan was. “Begin!” He thundered with a wave of his hand. 

Heather closed her eyes, her breathing was slow and steady. A glowing ring of green fire encircles her. It grows more intense with every breath she takes. Cauda broke into a run putting as much distance between them as he could. He threw out landmines that scuttled across the meadow like bugs. Heather opened her eyes. Twin green dragons made of pure fire erupted from the ground. They twisted around each other as they shot towards the sky. “Woah!” Sel-enic gasped and leaned forward to get a better look. Cauda was ready for this. A small explosion went off to her left. Heather barely managed to dive out of the way. She rolls across the meadow and her dragons move with her. Heather swiped down at the air with her palm. The dragons uncoiled, diving at Cauda. Their mouths opened unnaturally wide. He pulled the pin out of a grenade with his fangs and hurled it into the air. There was a tremendous spark of light and bang that shook the observation deck. The dragons burst into a flurry of embers. Heather covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. 

Another explosion went off. It sent Heather tumbling across the field. She snarls and thrust one hand out towards Cauda. The dragon burst forward and slammed into Cauda. He collapsed in unimaginable agony, he pressed his forehead to the floor, holding his sides. It was burning him alive. The dragon passed through him and appeared to swoop down to the beach.

“I don't get it,” Sel-enic mutters to Lu'viem without tearing her eyes away from the scene. “How can illusions hurt somebody?”

Lu'viem glared at his hands. “Your mind cannot tell the difference between phantom pain and real pain."

"Their village had many highly skilled telepaths and telekinetics," Ronan recalls wistfully. "Although, I believed we laid them all to rest. Most amusing." 

Thanos chuckled, "Ebony could not see such talent go to waste. One day she shall bring planets to their knees for us."

Cauda slowly pulled himself off the ground. He was grinning devilishly, the imaginary green flames still licked at his clothing. A landmine exploded underneath Heather. She was thrown back against the wall. Peter inhaled sharply through his teeth. There was a bloody smear across the lilac sky where Heather slid down the wall. Heather staggered to her feet and the dragon rose from the ground with her. Cauda grabbed another grenade off his belt and hurled it at Heather. She ran around the arena. She avoided the first two but the third was coming in too fast. It landed at Heather's feet. They exploded in a colorful fountain of sparks, shrieking like a dying animal. Heather's knees give out and she crumples to the ground, her hands are clasped tightly over her ears. Her dragon exploded into a shower of multicolored embers above Cauda's head. He tossed another bomb at her feet. The explosion burned her badly. A scream was ripped from her throat as she skidded across the floor and slammed into the wall. 

“Get up, Heather!” Lexifier and Nexus both yelled down at their sister. “Get up! Stand up!” Sel-enic is watching the fight through her fingers. Lu'viem tries to stand up but his brothers forced him to stay seated and watch.

The skin along Heather's shins and forearms had blackened and chard. There are specks of bone poking through her lacerated flesh. She's breathing weakly as Cauda strolls towards her. Her red swirling tattoo begins to glow, and her eyes burn so intensely it looks like flames. Cauda stops in his tracks. Heather stood up. All around her the meadow burns with green flames. She steps forward and pushes out with her palm. The green dragon erupts from the flames. It’s color shifted from green to yellow to orange, sparks rolled off its glowing scales as it doubled in size. There's no escape. The dragon swept through Cauda, and he was thrown at a deadly speed across the arena. He cracked the wall when he slammed into it. The picturesque sky glitched out revealing white paneling beneath. Cauda lays in a crumpled heap on the ground. His blood paints the golden meadow black.

“No, no, no, Cauda stand up," Miertra begged quietly. "Please, stand up."

Cauda braces himself against the wall and tries to stand up, but he slips on his own blood. He slides back down the wall. Heather took another step forward, she raised her palms skyward, and in one sharp motion brought them down. Her dragon followed. There's enough time, he could get away if he tried. “Run, Cauda! Move!” Peter yelled. Her dragon smashed Cauda into the ground. His body is wreathed with multicolor flames. Peter felt his heart stop. Heather pivots and pushes towards the observation deck. Her dragon’s serpent-like body contorted in the air. It charged directly at them. The children screamed and dropped to the floor for cover. Its mouth opened wide. Peter was rooted in place by fear. He swore he could see his mother burning alive in its eyes.

Ebony flicked his wrist as if batting away a pesky insect and Heather’s dragon exploded into a shower of multicolor embers. Heather closed her eyes and her tattoo's stopped glowing. She collapsed to the ground. “Heather is the winner,” Thanos announced. Peter can't tear his eyes away from the arena.

Cauda isn't moving.

There's so much blood. It’s matted against his hair and pooling on the floor. The white coats don't move with urgency, they don't understand. Peter can only watch his little brother bleed out. The landscape shutters and turns back to a white box. The white coats are carrying Cauda and Heather out of the Arena. The cleaning bots scuttle across the floor. “Peter?” Proxima Midnight has to touch his shoulder to get his attention. “You are going next.” 

Peter walks out of the observation deck and down the stairs in a daze. Outside the arena, Heather is curled up on a gurney. Their eyes met and she grabbed onto his jacket. “I didn't mean to. It was an accident.” Heather was nearly pleading. “I was so angry, and then,” Her voice caught in her throat. 

There’s a corpse on the gurney next to her. It looks like Cauda, and it's dressed like him, but that thing was a corpse. Peter felt nothing, his head is full of static. It's hard to breathe, hard to think. He reached down and removed Cauda's hair clip from the corpse. It was a gift from Cauda’s mother, it was important. Peter tucked it safely into his pocket. The white coats escorted Heather down to the med bay. The corpse would be thrown into the recycler, it's body ground up into fertilizer for the gardens.

The countdown clock by the arena door read thirty seconds. Peter stood in front of it. Light shines through the crack in the door. It's too bright, too clean like never even happened. He doesn't notice when Nebula arrives. She stood next to Peter, her fists were balled at her sides, and she's glaring at the clock. Ten seconds. Nebula is trying very hard to suppress her rage but it’s bubbling to the surface. “She killed Cauda, didn't she?”

"He went home to his mom," Peter says quietly more to himself than Nebula. The doors slide open. It was showtime.


	9. End of the Line

The Anilius landed inside the Eclector. She rolled off the flight deck and into the hangar bay. The hull groans and lets out a hiss of steam as Horuz docked her. Jazinda holds Gamora's hand as they follow Yondu down the gangplank. She had been avoiding him the entire flight back. She was certain that he would eventually snap and hit her for all the trouble she had caused. While Jazinda had more or less threatened to kidnap Gamora and bring her to a man she had never met, at least Jazinda didn't hit her. Gamora was desperate for allies and would take what she could get.

"Bridge is this way," Yondu waved for Jazinda to follow. She let go of Gamora's hand and followed him out of the hangar bay. Gamora stares after them until the door closes. She breathes a sigh of relief.

"Hey, donut head, why don't cha go help Horuz repair the ship?" Kraglin suggests gently.

"Okay," She agreed, having no energy left to argue with him. He left her standing alone on the flight deck. She drags her feet as she walks over to the Anilius. On one hand, she wasn't their cabin girl anymore, Gamora didn't need to do what Kraglin said. On the other, he might scold her if she disobeyed. She didn't want anyone else to be mad at her, especially not Kraglin.

Gamora follows the sound of construction to the bridge, where Horuz is repairing a console. He had disabled the smoke alarm so he could smoke while he worked. “Um, excuse me?” If Horuz heard her, he didn't react at all. She moves to stand behind him. Horuz set the equipment down and grabbed a handful of bolts out of the toolbox. “Uh, Kraglin said I was supposed to help you.”

“Y’know what would be helpful? If ya shut up and stayed over there.” Horuz pointed back towards the door.

Gamora stood there awkwardly, she didn't know what to say. After a long minute, She pointed to the tool he was holding. "What's that?"

“Sladon,” He grunted in reply.

“What's it do?”

Horuz sighed heavily and turned to glare at Gamora. “It repairs metals,” he states curtly.

There was a tense moment while Horuz waited for her to respond. Gamora fidgets with the hem of her sweater. “Oh, ” She replies meekly. He picked up the sladon. “Can I help?”

He set the sladon down with a loud thump. “Do you know how to rewire a console?” Gamora shook her head. “Can you repair a bulkhead? Run diagnostics on life support?”

“I-I can't.”

“Then you're better off washing the dishes. I ain't a preschool teacher.” Horuz snapped at her with a mean snarl.

Gamora expression hardened into a scowl, ”But Kraglin said-”

He cut her off, “How many other little girls do you see in engineering?”

“Uh,”

“None.” Horuz stood up, casting a long shadow over Gamora. She takes a step back. Her hand brushes against the wall behind her. She’s trapped. “You don't belong here. Stay out of my way.” His voice is dripping with malice. Gamora bolted, Horuz watched her run to the cockpit.

She didn't feel better until she put a locked door between them. Her heart is beating fast, and her breathing is staggered. She flopped into the pilot's seat and tried to calm down. It wasn't fair, even when she did what she was told, she got scolded. How was she supposed to follow the rules if they changed so arbitrarily?

Gamora didn't want to spend another second in this awful place. Getting punished by Yondu later couldn't possibly be worse than spending time near Horuz now. She gathers her courage and slowly creeps out of the cockpit. Horuz had returned to his work. He appeared to be significantly less angry with her. “I’m going to play outside,” She announced with overt confidence. She tensed waiting to see how he would react. If he tried to hit her, she would run.

After a minute, Gamora cautiously walks past him. The mechanic takes a drag from his cigarette and waved the sladon at her as she passed him. She breathes a sigh of relief when the door to the bridge closes behind her. She races down the gangplank and through the hangar bay. She makes a beeline for the nearest exit. When her feet hit the docks, she starts running. She runs until her lungs burn and she's gasping for air.

Eventually, she has to stop. She doubles over, trying to catch her breath. It hurt, but it also felt good. She can't help but smile. Gamora peels off her sweater and wraps the arms around her waist. She tosses her pigtails back and takes in her surroundings.

She can see the Eclector's jagged metal form rising over the horizon. Several ships of similar size are docked alongside it. They easily dwarf the nearby skyscrapers. Leeto is a way station for the Shi'ar empire, as a result, the dock is crowded. It's crawling with different ships and longshoremen moving cargo under the sinking sun. Movement catches her eye. There's a small group of kids drawing with chalk and playing in a fountain. It looked like fun. A deckhand shouts something at them, and two in matching uniforms break off from the group to help. They're cabin kids.

Gamora pushed through the crowd trying to get closer. Three kids are playing in the fountain and two more drawings with chalk. They're all wearing different uniforms. She made fast friends. They drew pictures and splashed around in the fountain. The water was nice under the hot desert sun. Her jeans and her sweater are soaked through but she doesn't care.

Gamora didn't realize that the sun was setting until Kraglin came looking for her. He was dressed casually. She almost didn't recognize him without the ravager jacket. She wades over to the edge of the fountain and waves at him. “Hi, Kraglin!”

When he sees her, Kraglin's eyes widened and something like relief spread across his face. "Gamora!" His expression changed to one she hadn't seen on him before.“I cannot believe you! Where the hell have you been?”

Gamora steps out of the fountain and rings out her pigtails. “I was playing with the other cabin kids. I told Horuz where I was going.” She pointed to the kids, “These are my new friends.”

They waved at Kraglin. He greeted them curtly, “Yeah hi, whatever. Horuz said you disappeared. Why didn't you tell me where you were going?"

“I couldn't find you,” Gamora shrugged.

"Nobody knew where you were, Gamora." Urgency and concern were creeping into his voice. "You coulda been kidnapped, or dead, or–or I dunno what. Ya can't keep running off."

"But I didn't run off."

“Are you guys related?” One girl asked quietly. “He's kind of rude."

“No, gross!” Gamora wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Kraglin is uh...um...” the first mate on the pirate ship that kidnapped me because my father might be a serial killer, sounded too crazy to say out loud.

Kraglin pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm the first mate on her ship. It's Kraglin Obfonteri."

The other children look at Gamora in shock. “Wait, he's the… and you use his first name?!” One shouted in disbelief. They're patterned with a light shade of yellow. "That's weird!"

Gamora is just as dumbfounded as they are. “What else would I call him?”

“Obfonteri or first mate!" Two of them choired at her.

"It would be less weird if you were related," The first girl added.

“Hey!” Kraglin shouted, startling the children. “You’ve wasted enough time. The captain needs ta talk ta you.”

He reached out to grab her arm but Gamora jumped back. "I'm not going." Yondu was the last person she wanted to see.

"What?"

"I'm not your cabin girl anymore!" She tried to scowl, but it looked more like she was pouting. "I'm staying here."

There was a chorus of "Oo's" from the other children. Kraglin furrowed his brow, "No, you ain't. You're gonna stay right where we can see you, cause every time I turn around you're running off ta God knows where."

"I was just playing!" She crossed her arms and turned away from him. "I'm not leaving! I don't have to listen to you!."

His expression hardened. "Ya think so, little miss?" He put his foot up on the edge of the fountain and in one swift movement, he dragged Gamora over his knee for a spanking.

"No, no! Stop, put me down!" Gamora yelped and tried to wriggle herself off his lap, but Kraglin held her firmly in place. "You can't, only the captain can punish me."

"But you ain't our cabin girl anymore," He recited back to her bitterly. "You're just a mouthy brat who needs a reminder to behave." Gamora's heart sank as he berated her. It was one thing when Yondu hit her, she knew he hated her. But Kraglin? Kraglin, who brought her ice packs and tried to cheer her up. Kraglin, who was kind to her, and gentle. It hurt. It hurt a lot. "This can't keep happening, Gamora! You're wasting everyone's time making us chase you all over the damn place, and you're making me sick with worry. You know there are dangerous people after you! We can't protect you if you keep running off!" Gamora felt tears sting the corner of her eyes. She didn't mean to upset him.

Another sailor walked over to Kraglin, their uniform matched one of the kids. "She won't be able to feel a thing through her jeans, use this."

To Gamora's horror, they handed Kraglin a heavy wooden hairbrush. "Wait, no, no, don't!"

"Oh, uh, thanks." He nodded at the sailor and then lit a fire under her backside.

Two swats with the flat of the hairbrush was all she could handle. Her resolve crumbled. "Ow! Owie, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'll be really good, I won't run off again! Please, stop Kraglin,” she wailed pitifully.

He hit her once more with the hairbrush and then let Gamora slide off his knee. She tried to rub the sting away and hung her head miserably. She could feel everyone staring at her. Some of the children giggled while the others gave her empathetic looks. She wanted to disappear. They had all seen her get punished like she was much a younger girl, and to make things worse she was going to cry. She grabbed onto Kraglin, wanting to bury her face in his shirt and hide, but she hesitated. She didn't want to upset him anymore. Yondu always got mad when she clung to him.

Kraglin picked her up, giving her permission to hold him as tight as she pleased. He rubbed her back gently as he carried her away from their prying eyes. She pressed her face into his shoulder and cried until there were no tears left. Her eyes were itchy and she yawned. She rested her head on his shoulder, she was struggling to keep her eyes open. She felt tired and unloved. "Do you hate me now too?" She whispered hoarsely.

He shook his head. "I don't hate you. Nobody hates you."

"Yondu hates me. I know 'cause he yells at me and hits me all the time," Gamora muttered. "Now, you're hitting me too."

Kraglin sighed, "The Captain beats and lectures everybody. You ain't special. It's the Captain's job to punish the crew when they step outta line, and that includes mouthy lil' cabin girls." Gamora didn't know what to say, it felt like cruelty to her but she didn't want to argue with Kraglin. "When you make a mistake you have to face the consequences. Then you're forgiven and you can try to do better next time." Gamora yawned again, her eyes beginning to drift closed. Her grip on Kraglin's shirt goes slack, and he adjusts her to support her weight better. "Hey, are you listening?"

"Mhm, but 'm sleepy," she mumbled. 

He sighed, "I must a' wore you out good if you're fallin' asleep." Gamora whined and pressed her eyes into his shirt. She didn't want to talk about the incident. Her face felt hot with embarrassment and fresh tears threatened to spill over. "Ya need ta be upset, ya go on and be upset. Little girls are allowed." He muttered while rubbing her back. With that, Gamora sobbed quietly into his shoulder once more. She dozed in and out of sleep on the long walk to their hotel. 

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

Yondu stole a glance at the hotel entrance for the third time in the last five minutes. He was sitting at the bar inside the lobby. Some of the crew are eating dinner in the adjacent restaurant. Jazinda was sitting out on the patio. Yondu didn't understand why the bounty hunter was still here. Gamora wasn't her problem anymore. Yondu doesn't notice Brahl walk up to the bar, until he says, “I thought you were looking for our cabin girl.”

“She wasn't here the first time I checked the bar, thought I'd check again,” Yondu said into his glass. Kraglin had sent Yondu a message saying that he had found Gamora and was on his way. All Yondu could do was wait. He hated waiting. “While I gotcha here, there's a job opening. I need a new second mate.” Brahl scoffed and then laughed. “I'm serious, you're doin’ half the job already.”

Brahl shook his head. “I’m most useful to you in sickbay. Promote the current third mate, they've earned it.”

“Aw hell, Doc, then I’d need a new third mate.” Yondu sighed and glanced over at the entrance again.

“Taking that job would put a target on my back,” Brahl replies dismissively.

The front door slid open and Yondu snapped around to see Kraglin carry Gamora inside the hotel lobby. “Just think about it,” He mutters to Brahl before standing up. Gamora wasn't hurt, the other bounty hunters hadn't found her yet. She was safe. She was still alive. Yondu stalked towards them ready to give the little brat a tongue lashing, but then he got a better look at her. Her eyes were bloodshot, her face was flushed and tear stained. Kraglin met Yondu's inquiring gaze for just a moment. Then he looked away, ashamed. "What did you do?" Yondu pressed quietly.

"Well, I just, uh,"

"Kraglin hit me," Gamora said bluntly.

Yondu blinked in surprise and waited for Kraglin to explain himself, "I did not. I spanked her, it's different."

"It's not different." Jazinda grabbed a drink from the bar and wandered over to them. She glanced over Gamora and sighed, "Shit, you poor thing."

"Jazinda!" Gamora squirmed until Kraglin set her down. She tackled Jazinda in a hug.

"Oof, hey kiddo." She patted Gamora's head awkwardly.

"All cabin kids get beat, it's just the way these things are handled," Kraglin replied defensively.

"You disgust me. She trusts you," Jazinda snarled.

Yondu rubbed his neck and sighed, "She had it coming. If he hadn't done it, I would've. This is the second time she's run off like this." Some of the tension left Kraglin's shoulders when Yondu said that, but Gamora looked more frightened than before.

"I didn't run off! I was just playing with the other kids, I'm sorry." Gamora's voice was muffled slightly, as she tried to hide behind Jazinda. "I only left cause Horuz is really scary, and he wouldn't let me help."

Kraglin frowned, "What?"

"He said little girls don't belong in engineering," Gamora explained pensively.

"Fuck," Yondu rubbed his brow. He had a suspicion something like this might happen.

Jazinda huffed, "I was a navy brat, I knew the basics by the time I was your age."

Gamora only offered a half hearted shrug in reply. She was staring at Yondu with cold dread, "Does this mean I'm not in trouble?"

"It means you ain't the only one in trouble. We'll discuss it later," He replied dryly. 

She looks like a girl whose doom was upon her. "But–But Kraglin already… I was just… you can't!"

"You don't think ya did anything wrong, and that Kraglin was just bein' mean,'' Yondu ventured in a condescending tone of voice. Kraglin looked disappointed with her and Gamora dropped her gaze to the floor. Her hands twisting the hem of her sweater into a nervous knot. She shrugged, to avoid admitting that Yondu was correct. "We will discuss it later," he reiterated forcefully.

Jazinda sighs and grabs Gamora's hand, “Come on kid." She led her towards the back door, and out onto the patio. To Gamora's relief, Jazinda changed the subject. "If you really want to learn to fix ships, I can teach you.” The door closed behind them and Yondu couldn't hear her anymore.

Yondu sat back down at the bar and Kraglin joined him. “Uh sir, maybe we should hire more women, for Gamora's sake.” Yondu sighed into his drink. Truth be told, he was thinking the same thing. Horuz wasn't the only loudmouthed moron with bad opinions. Gamora wouldn't learn anything if the crew refused to teach her. It's all a mess.

Brahl cleared his throat and Yondu suddenly remembered he was there. “Captain, I have thought about the job offer and–"

“You decided to take it?”

“–I, uh no. I have a," He paused choosing his words carefully, “different solution. You are not going to like it.” Yondu sipped his drink and waited for Brahl to continue. “You want to hire someone Gamora can look up to. Someone willing to teach her, and will not take shit from the crew, a woman, yes?”

Yondu knew where this was going. “No, no, no. Not her,” He put his head down on the bar and groaned.

“Promote current third mate, and make Jazinda the new chief of security,” Brahl said.

Kraglin looked back at Gamora. Jazinda roughly rubbed a towel over Gamora's head trying to dry her off. “Despite everything that's happened, sir, Gamora does seem to like her.”

Yondu lifted his head to shoot Kraglin an exasperated look. “She killed the second mate.”

“She killed to protect our cabin girl,” Brahl countered, “Cannot buy loyalty like that.”

“She’s self-righteous, spiteful, and arrogant!”

Kraglin snorted, “She'll fit right in.”

Yondu blew a raspberry. He didn't want to admit it but they had a point. Yondu had no doubt she'd have zero problems handling the crew. She’s already offered to show Gamora the ropes, and by some miracle, she has won Gamora's trust. But it all left a bitter taste in his mouth.

So what if that stupid brat liked Jazinda more than him? It was fine if they thought of him as the bad guy. Yondu was never a good man anyway. That's why he kept messing things up. That's why doing the right thing was always difficult, and someone always got hurt. It went against his nature. That kind of thing was probably easy for Jazinda. A dumbass goodie-goodie who always failed up. She was someone people liked. He sighs again and rubs his tired eyes. “You're right, I hate this idea.”

“I’m always right,” Brahl grumbled.

Kraglin sipped his drink leisurely, “It doesn't matter anyway. She hates you, sir, she would never take the job.”

Yondu stares into his glass and shakes his head. "Nah, she'll take the job. She cares about the girl's safety too much to let this go."

"How do you know?"

"I just do! It's why she won't leave," He replies a little too snappishly. His voice betrays his feelings. Kraglin's eyes are full of questions that Yondu doesn't want to answer, so instead, he drank. He got the feeling that Kraglin could see through his demeanor sometimes, but they both pretend otherwise.

"The real problem is the brat," Brahl grumbled, getting the conversation back on track. "You have to convince her to come with us willingly, or you risk Jazinda running off with her."

"Running? She doesn't have a ship," Yondu scoffed. "Hell, I know what bounty huntin' pays. It ain't enough to keep them both fed."

"Jazinda is arrogant, she'd never admit that," Brahl replied.

Yondu rubbed his brow and groaned. Jazinda would stay to protect Gamora. However, Gamora has to agree to be their cabin girl again, or else they risk losing them both. "Doesn't that brat understand the kind of danger she's in?"

Brahl shook his head, "Children can't see long term consequences, sir. The short term consequences frighten her more, and those are…" he raised his eyebrows and lifted his glass.

"Me," Yondu sighed. "I'm the bad guy, and Jazinda is her savior. What the hell am I supposed to do, damn it all!" He slammed his fist on the bar.

Kraglin sipped his drink. "If ya want Gamora ta stay you gotta give her a reason ta trust you. She thinks you hate her because you gotta yell at her or hit her, sometimes."

"I don't hate her!"

"I know."

"It's my job ta punish her when she misbehaves!"

"I know," Kraglin agreed passively, "but it doesn't feel that way ta her. Little girls are sensitive." Yondu rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. He didn't believe Kraglin but he didn't argue with him either. "The one thing Gamora cares about is her mama and units, maybe you can use that." Yondu ordered another drink and thought it over. There was a solution here. He knew it. All the pieces fit together, he just had to figure out how.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

Yondu waited for Jazinda to come inside before walking through the sliding glass doors, and onto the patio. Leeto's pink sky was stained with reds and yellows, in its twilight. The city sparkles beneath the low hanging moon. “Oh no,” Gamora slid off her chair and crawled under the table. She was hiding from him.

"Gamora–"

"Gamora isn't here right now, go away!" A small panicked voice called out.

"Then who the hell am I talking to?" There was no response to that. Yondu rolled his eyes. “I can clearly see you.” Gamora was huddled in a ball, with her knees pressed up against her chest. She gasped when their eyes met and she crawled further away.

“This is stupid,” He grumbled. If he kicked the table it would startle her out from beneath it. However, there were glass cups on the table, if those fell there was a good chance the broken glass could cut Gamora. That was no good. He'd have to try something else. Yondu closed his eyes and sighed, "People stick their gum under the table, y'know." There was a muffled panicked squeak. There was the sound of chairs scraping against the floor. When he opened his eyes Gamora was sitting as far away from him as she could get.

She was eyeing the door to the hotel, trying to calculate how to sneak around him and escape. He folded his arms across his chest. "If ya go back to your mama you'll be putting her in danger."

"Leave me alone," She mumbled.

"Jazinda can't take care of you–"

"Anyone would be better than you!" She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged herself. She glares at the horizon.

"I…" He furrowed his brow, scrambling to find the right thing to say. He slumped down on the nearest chair. "I'm the only choice you got."

She shook her head, "I can get a job on a different ship, or go to the Nova. I've always wanted to live inside a shopping mall, I might try that. If I can't ever be with mama again it doesn't matter anyway."

"Don't go to the Nova. Those incompetent meatheads would sooner get into bed with fascists than actually help someone." Yondu rolled his eyes and scoffed, "And very few people hire orphan cabin girls."

"I'm not an orphan!" Gamora interjected.

"But you ain't traveling with family, ship's brat. It's the teenagers and adults with real experience that get hired, cabin kids are tagalongs. You'd have more luck stowing away and hoping they don't throw you in the brig. Now, the shopping mall idea… That one ain't half bad," He chuckled despite himself. Gamora didn't respond, she just continued to stare out at the dying sun. It cast the city in hazy red hues as it vanished beyond the arched skyscrapers. Yondu tried to think of something to say.

The shiny new transmitter and the key to Gamora's hotel room were burning a hole in his pocket. She might be too angry to accept any gifts from him, yet.

Eventually, the waiter comes outside to take their order. They're Sepiidae and they don't have vocal cords but they could hear just fine. Gamora didn't ask for anything but Yondu ordered her something to eat anyway.

When the food arrived, Gamora kept glancing over at it with longing. Yondu cracked open the shell of the crustacean and ate his dinner, without paying any attention to Gamora. She slowly scoots her chair closer to the table over the course of the meal. When she thought he wasn't looking, she would reach over and steal pieces of food off her plate. He let her believe that she was secretly stealing food from him, he figured she would eat more if she thought it was an act of rebellion. He knew she'd be hungry since she skipped lunch to play on the docks.

Gamora had only been with them a short while, but she already looked much healthier than when they found her. The adorable baby fat was starting to return to her face. Her eyes weren't sunken and hollow. He can't afford to mess this up. He needed to know that she would be okay.

Yondu finished eating and pushed his leftovers towards Gamora. Unlike the rest of the meal, it's obviously a gift and she's reluctant to touch it. "Listen girly, ya can't keep runnin' off without tellin' us. I don't like yellin' atcha, and you don't like being cooped up all day." She nibbles on a slice of root vegetable and regards him cautiously. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the transmitter. He set it down on the table. "So I figured ya need one of these, so you can tell us where you're going, and… so you can call your mama."

Gamora dropped her fork. She snatched the transmitter off the table. Yondu had never seen her move so fast in his life. "I can really call her? You'll let me?" She clung to the transmitter like a lifeline.

Yondu shrugged and nodded, "Of course."

Gamora jumped up from her chair, "Thank you!"

"Wait," He held up a hand to stop her. "There's a condition. Ya only get to keep that if you agree to come with us."

Gamora froze. Her expression hardened as she gave him a once over. Her grasp on the transmitted tightened. "If I stay are you going to punish me?"

"Are you going to misbehave?"

Gamora shoulders rose defensively, "I don't like it when you hit me. It hurts."

Yondu rolled his eyes. "It's supposed to hurt otherwise it wouldn't be a punishment." When Gamora didn't say anything else Yondu scoffed. "What wouldja have me do instead, huh?"

"I don't want you to hit me," Gamora grumbled.

"Then suggest something better," Yondu grumbled back. 

Gamora frowned and then her expression went blank. "Uhm…" She shifted her weight from foot to foot, thinking hard. The uncomfortably long silence dragged on for a few minutes, as Gamora tried to come up with a solution. Yondu raised his eyebrows expectantly, growing more irritated with her indecisiveness with each passing second. "I dunno," she finally admits with a helpless shrug.

Yondu rubbed his brow and made a sound between a growl and a sigh. "Ya don't know?" Gamora nodded. "But ya don't think the way I punish you is fair?" She nodded again. Yondu folds his arms across his chest and takes a deep breath to clear his head. "There ain't never been a cabin girl on a ravager ship. Now, other guilds got rules about how these sorta things are handled. Kraglin knows more about it than I do. I could ask him what he thinks is fair..." Yondu paused to throw her a keen look and Gamora grimaced at the realization. "But I think ya already know what he'll tell me."

Gamora hung her head, feeling another rush of embarrassment. She regretted running off and making Kraglin worry about her, but she was also angry at him for spanking her. The whole event had been completely humiliating and Gamora wished she could forget it ever happened. She hated when Yondu kicked or punched her too. It was just a different kind of bad. But she didn't have a better suggestion since 'no punishments' was vetoed. "Can you not yell at me then?"

"I can try not to. Was there anything else?" Yondu asked her quietly. Gamora thought for a minute and then shook her head. He pulled a plastic card out of his wallet. "Alright. I gotcha a hotel room here until the end of the month when the Eclector leaves. You can charge meals to your room if ya run outta cash. I'll pay for it." Gamora's eyes widened as he gave her the key. He checked the time on his transmitter, and stood up. "I think the mall closes in an hour so if ya wanna sleep there you should hurry."

Gamora tucked the key into her pocket and her expression soured. "Are you making fun of me?"

"Never," Yondu replied in deadpan. Gamora didn't believe him. She watched him walk back into the building.

She walked to the edge of the patio and raised the transmitter to her ear. It rang once… then twice… and then finally… "Hello?" A warm familiar voice greets her in their native tongue.

Tears whelm up in Gamora's eyes. She can't keep the smile from her face. "Mama! Mama! I missed you!"

"Ga… Gamora!? Oh baby, where are you? Are you okay? What happened? Why are you calling me from an interplanetary number?" The relief in her voice was quickly replaced by panic and fear.

"I'm sorry it took so long to call you, I've been really busy and I didn't have a transmitter," Gamora stares at the sky as she tries to figure out what to say. The situation seemed too complicated, too unbelievable to tell her mother. She couldn't do anything to help Gamora anyway, it would only burden her. Her mother worked so hard already… no. Gamora would shave off some of the truth from the story, only tell her mother what she needed to know.

"Gamora, baby, can tell me where you are?" She pressed again, pleading with urgency.

"Mama, don't be mad."

There was a short pause. She could hear the change in her mother's breathing. Anger and uncertainty quickly replacing the fear. "Why would I be mad?"

"I got a job."

"Gamora, we've had this discussion before!"

"It's a really good job, Mama! I've got my own bedroom and they give me three meals a day, and I get a month off while we're planetside–"

"You should not be working!" She raised her voice and Gamora fell silent. "You should be playing with your friends and going to school. Not trapped in a rancid factory somewhere working long hours without any sunlight! I told you not to worry about money!"

"Mama, lots of girls my age are working. Besides, it's already done," Gamora muttered.

Another pause. "What do you mean, 'It's already done'?"

"I'll send you my coordinates." Gamora quickly pulled the transmitter away from her ear and copied her location data into a message file.

Gamora was expecting a tongue lashing and braced for the outburst. Instead, there was devastating silence and then a soft, broken, "You're how many lightyears away?" It was worse. Infinitely worse. She was certain she could hear her mother's heart shattering through the transmitter.

Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. She tightened her grip on the patio railing until her knuckles turned white. She tried to cushion the blow. "It's a really good job, Mama, I'm a cabin girl. The first mate is nice to me, and the hours aren't hard at all. I wash dishes, and help with the laundry." She left out the rare occasions she was allowed to repair the ship, knowing it would spring a lecture about children losing their fingers in machines.

Her mother had a mountain of questions pertaining to the safety and comfort of her job, and Gamora answered all of them dutifully. She did her best to reassure her mother that she wouldn't lose any limbs or die like the other factory kids on her planet. She left out any detail that felt too unsavory. She answered every question about the ship, the job, the facilities, all that was left was the crew. "And this Captain Yondu, he's the one who hired you?"

"Yes, mama."

"I would like to speak with him. Could you put him on?" She demanded of her. Gamora felt her heart leap into her throat.

No. Absolutely, not. Never in a thousand years! The very idea of Yondu talking to her mother made her skin crawl. "I dunno, mama." Gamora cringed and stole a glance at Yondu. He was talking to Jazinda at the bar. He turned to look at her, and Gamora panicked and moved away from the door. "He's very busy with work right now and I wouldn't want to bother him."

"Some other time then." Her mother says reluctantly. She sighed heavily, "I can't believe you went behind my back like this and got a job."

"I'm sorry, mama."

"Oh, you will be, missy! When you get home you're going to be grounded for a month," She says definitively.

"But mama–"

"Don't you whine at me! I explicitly told you that you were not allowed to work for a corporation! I didn't teach you Standard so you could waste your childhood," she continued.

"This isn't a corporation, Yondu is a privateer," Gamora muttered.

She swore she heard her mother chuckle, "You're too smart for your own good, baby." She sighed again, "It's going to be dangerous. Are you sure this is what you want?"

Gamora nodded, feeling her mother was being overprotective at best. "The money would be really good for us, and I'm learning a lot," She answered honestly.

"Alright, I won't force you to come home if you don't want to," Her mother said, the pain in her voice was unmistakable. "Be a big girl for me, and don't die, understand?"

"Yes, mama." Gamora couldn't resist a small smile at her mother's concern. "I love you, I'll call you tomorrow."

"I love you too baby, goodbye," And then she hung up.

Gamora wiped tears away from her eyes and sniffled loudly. She shoved her new transmitter into her pocket.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

After giving Gamora the transmitter, Yondu stood up and went inside to give Gamora and her mother some privacy. He found Jazinda sitting at the bar, drinking her weight in beer. Yondu leaned against the bar and ordered a drink. After an uncomfortable moment, he asks, “Why are you still here?” He already knew the answer but wanted to know if Jazinda had figured it out yet.

Her eyes went wide, she blinked. “Some idiot blew up my spaceship.”

“No, what are you doing here.” Yondu tapped his knuckles on the bar, “This is not your problem anymore.”

Jazinda crossed one long leg over the other and leaned forward. She lowered her voice, “What makes you think this is your problem at all?”

Yondu sat down at a nearby barstool, “I have a fully functioning ship, ”

Jazinda sneered, “fully functioning?”

“I can provide medical care, food, and shelter. I have a steady income, more than enough to take care of her. What do you have, exactly?” Yondu resisted the urge to snarl.

Jazinda clicks her tongue and stares out the glass door at Gamora. She was pacing nervously while talking to her mother. "If she isn't happy none of that matters. Weren't you listening when she poured her heart out for you? She can't trust you."

"She's eight. She doesn't know what's best for her." Yondu glanced outside and his gaze met Gamora's. Her eyes widen and she ducks out of sight.

Jazinda narrowed her eyes, "What are you going to do when she runs away again?"

"She won't–"

"She will. And one day you might never see her again," She snaps.

Yondu slammed his fist on the bar, "I'm the only one who can protect her."

"Well, I kicked your ass fairly easily,"

"That doesn't count, I was fighting with one hand behind my back. That damn dog bent my arrow," He grumbled.

She scoffed, "I could've killed you."

"It doesn't count!"

She muttered the name of a god in her native tongue, "You're worse than he is..." She rolled her eyes and covered her face with one hand. In Standard, she says, "The point still stands, Gamora cannot trust you! She hates you. She would never, ever agree to go anywhere with you, and if you try to take her by force I swear I'll–"

Gamora raced into the bar and tackled Yondu in a hug. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Yondu froze up, a pained expression marked his face. Gamora seems oblivious. She lets go of Yondu and holds up her transmitter for Jazinda to see. "Look! I can call my mama whenever I want now! Isn't that great?" Before Jazinda could respond, Gamora spun on her heels and ran off to show Kraglin.

Jazinda stares at Gamora, slack-jawed. "Shit."


	10. Marching Home

Peter watched the line of ants crawl across the rock pathway in the garden. He squished an ant with his thumb, leaving behind a bloody smear. The ants are undisturbed by the loss of life. They keep marching. "The ants go marching, one by one, hurrah. Hurrah." He sang under his breath. When Peter was much younger, he would get into fights with the other boys at school. They were very cruel to small animals and Peter's mother had impressed upon him the importance of every single life. _Every blade of grass, every spider, every person, has feelings and thoughts. We must treat them kindly._ "The littlest one stops to pray to heaven," He squished another ant with his thumb. It was easy to kill them. No joy or sorrow comes from it, a life just ends. The ants keep marching. "And they all go marching down to the ground to get stepped on. Hurrah, hurrah."

"Peter?" Kekallie pulled him away from his thoughts. She was standing under the small sapling the aprons had planted this morning. There are eleven other saplings in the row. "Did you want to add anything?"

Peter stood up to look at the small shrine his siblings had built at the base of the sapling. There are several of Cauda's things. His doll, his favorite shirt, a book he liked, along with bouquets and cards the kids drew. It's hard to look at. Peter touched the amber hair clip in his pocket. There's an aching feeling in his chest, "No. I'm good."

Kekallie nods, "Okay." Peter can't look at the sapling anymore and turns away.

Nebula strolls up from the treeline. She opens and closes her butterfly knife habitually. She's carrying a binder under her arm. "You're not fooling anyone, you know." 

"I dunno what you mean," Peter muttered.

Nebula tilted her head to the side, "You wouldn't mind bringing Heather, her missing classwork then?" She waved the binder at him, "You know how I feel about the med bay."

"No, I-I can't. I'm busy." Peter digs his fingernails into his palms and glares at the line of ants. Guilt twists in his stomach.

She raised one eyebrow, "Busy with ants?" She stomps on them, grinding their small bodies into the stone. The remaining ants scatter. "Unless you're not okay after all, and you want to stay here."

Peter snapped the binder out of Nebula's hands. "I'll go if it's that important to you." 

"Okay, " Nebula looks towards the exit and then back at Peter. He let out an irritated huff and stalked to the exit, clutching the binder close to his chest. Nebula watched him leave.

Peter didn't slow down until the door closed behind him. He takes the long way there, dragging his feet as he goes. His stomach hurts. He can't shake the image of the corpse laying on the arena floor from his mind. Peter had seen mountains of corpses before, one more shouldn't make a difference. The scene plays out in his head over and over. There's nothing he could have done, nothing would have changed. The silence becomes unbearable. He put on his headphones and cranked the volume up as loud as it can go. He walks a little faster.

There are two heavily armed Jackboots, standing at attention by the doors, Peter waves his security clearance badge at them as he enters the med bay. It was a superfluous formality. Their job wasn't to keep him out but to keep Peter and his siblings in. They had killed too many of the white coats in past years, and Thanos was at his wit's end. He had even gone so far as to declare that the next child to kill their physician would meet the business end of the fireplace poker he kept for disciplining them. Peter drops off his blaster in the bin by the door. He really hated going anywhere without it but they were strictly forbidden from carrying weapons inside the med bay.

The fluorescent lights make everything inside the med bay blindingly white, and it stinks of formaldehyde. In the front of the room, are several rows of desks for the white coats to work at. Peter ignored them and walked into the inpatient ward. There are rows of beds separated from each other by stark white curtains. Lexifer and Miertra had pulled the curtain back so they could play a card game. Photon had her nose deep in a book, and little Edbe was sleeping soundly. The glint of metal at the base of her neck catches Peter's eye. He stops dead in his tracks.

Her physician is standing over her with a clipboard. "Hello Peter, " the white coat greets him in Northern Kree. "You will have to come back later. She's still sleeping it off." 

"What did you do?" He whispered with cold dread. Peter already knows the answer but he doesn't want to believe it.

The white coat replies casually, "We implanted cybernetic enhancements yesterday. It's an upgraded version of what you're wearing."

Peter's hand reflexively went to his holster but his blaster isn't there. He dug his fingernails into his palms. He watched Edbe's chest rise and fall as the heart monitor beeps at a steady rhythm. There's a large bandage above her eyebrow and another on her shoulder. "Does she know?"

The corpse in the white coat laughed, "You know how things work around here. She'll find out when she wakes up." 

Before Peter knew what he was doing he grabbed them by their tie and yanked on it. The corpse in the white coat let out a strangled noise. The Jackboots tensed, ready to jump if he tried anything. "P-please, don't–" 

"It's not funny," Peter states forcefully.

"Peter stop!" Miertra yanked the curtain aside to glare at his older brother. "Don't be stupid."

"They laughed."

"I-I-I didn't mean–"

"Shut up!" Miertra and Peter both snap at them. 

Miertra bites his lower lip, "You'll get in trouble with daddy. It's not worth it. I'll be right here when Edbe wakes up so she won't be alone, okay?" Peter sighed irritably, knowing Miertra had a point. He let go of the white coat's tie. They stumbled backward and fall onto the medicine cart. Their eyes are wide with fear.

"Where's Heather?" The white coat managed to regain their balance by bracing themselves against the cart. They pointed to the last bed in the row. "Cool, thanks." Peter steals one last glance at Edbe before walking away.

The curtains around Heather's bed had been pulled closed, and she was being kept separated from the rest of their siblings. It struck Peter as odd. Thanos encouraged them to spend time together while they were trapped inside the med bay. As he gets closer, he hears a familiar voice "...must have realized that they always felt this way." A chill runs down Peter's spine. Ebony Maw sits at the foot of Heather's bed. "They fear your power, my dear. They want you to be weak, helpless."

Heather's reply is sullen, "I don't know, this power it–it feels scary."

"No, no, you are truly gifted. You could do so much good with your power." Maw matched her tone. He reached out and grabbed her hand. Peter felt his stomach lurch, it felt wrong. He can't bring himself to move to intervene. He's frozen in place by fear. "What you lack is control. I understand that what happened was an accident, but your siblings… They don't know you like I do. It's best if you stay away from them, for now." Heather nodded her head meekly. She pulls her knees up to her chest and folds in on herself. Ebony Maw stood up and patted Heather's head gently. "Your pain will ease soon, my dear." 

Ebony maw pulled back the curtain and regarded Peter coldly. As he walked towards Peter, he felt himself involuntarily backing away, trying to keep as much distance between himself and Ebony as possible. He felt like he was caught in the act of doing something wrong. "I uh–"

"Do not speak unless spoken to, boy. Have you forgotten your manners, already?" Peter clamped his jaw shut and shook his head. Ebony stopped walking in front of Peter. "Stay away from Heather, it's far too dangerous to be near her while her emotional state is this volatile. You may leave her classwork on the table." Peter looked down at the binder in his hands, feeling his heart sink a little. He didn't want to think that Heather could hurt him. When he looked up again Ebony Maw had left the room. 

"Peter?" Heather leans forward to peer around the curtain. The hopeful note in her voice is hard to miss. When he looks at Heather he sees the corpse lying on the arena floor, again. That aching feeling in his chest is back. He tightens his grip on the binder. He doesn't want to think that Heather is capable of hurting him, but he knows better. Heather's expression falls. What little light was in her eyes fades. "It's okay. You can leave my work and go." She says in response to his thoughts. Before he could say anything she disappeared behind the curtain.

Peter kept his eyes locked on the floor and slowly walked forward. He braced for head splitting pain as he got closer, but was surprised to find a lack of any psychic pressure. He set the binder down on the far table, he turned to leave but then hesitated. Heather was curled up on her side, snuggling her handmade stuffed bunny. He knew it was her only keepsake from her mother. Was she really more dangerous than anyone else? Nebula had come close to killing him once or twice before. The punishments he received at the hands of his so-called father and Proxima Midnight, certainly made Peter feel like he was dying. 

He walked around her bed to stand over her. Even this close to her, there was no psychic pressure. Hadn't she said that it was an accident? Her eyes are red and puffy. Heather's arms are wrapped in bandages, but there are no obvious signs of modification. She looked like his 6-year-old baby sister, spending her first night inside the med bay, all alone. "Hi." 

"Hi." Her voice was muffled as she hid her face behind her stuffed rabbit. "Aren't you gonna leave? I know you're afraid of me."

Peter shook his head, "Neb is way scarier than you, and I hang out with her all the time. Scoot over?" Heather moved so Peter could lay down next to her on the bed. "How are you holding up?"

She blinks her eyes rapidly and sniffled, "I messed up really, really, bad this time. I didn't mean to..."

"I know."

"I want my daddy." Heather let out a broken sob. She latched onto Peter, and he pulled her into a tight hug. "I wanna go home! I don't wanna die here. I want daddy!" She wailed the statement over and over, seemingly unable to say anything else. Tears blurred Peter's vision, threatening to spill over. He squeezed her so tight it hurt. He hugs her because it's the only thing he can do. Her parents weren't ever coming to rescue her, neither were his. They were utterly, completely alone. Heather clung to his chest while she cried. They stayed together for a long time.

He traced the red swirling tattoos around Heather's eyes with his finger. He's doing his best to soothe her. "The ants go marching two by two, hurrah, hurrah. The little one stops to cry boo hoo, and we all marching down to the ground to get rained on." Heather's eyes start to droop close, her grip goes slack. She feels unbelievably fragile.

When Peter reached the end of the verse, Heather stifled a yawn. "My dad– _my real dad_ –would sing to me when I was sad. He even wrote me a lullaby," she said wistfully.

"Why don't you teach it to me?"

Her eyes flutter open as Peter stopped tracing her tattoos. She frowned, "I dunno, I can't sing and I don't remember all the words." Heather admits rather sheepishly under her breath. 

Peter blinked, furrowing his eyebrows, "Why does that matter?"

She hid her face in her hands and mumbled the word, "Embarrassing." 

He bites back a smile, "C'mon, it's just us here. I won't tell anyone else, promise."

Heather lifted her head to look up at him. She's searching his eyes for something, and after a moment she says, "Well… okay. So, it goes like this, " Heather switched to her native language. This was the first time Peter had ever heard it. The language chip does its best to translate the song into English. "Take everything from me, I'd give it all for free. Just to see you smile again." Peter repeats the verses back to her and she continues to sing. They went back and forth until Heather sadly admitted, "That's all I remember," in Standard. 

"That's okay, " He reassured her. Heather yawned again and rubbed her eyes. "Your dad sounds like a pretty cool guy, " Peter says casually.

She nodded in agreement. "He was the strongest warrior in our village, next to my momma. I got my abilities from her. This one time, daddy took me to see the forgotten lakes on my homeworld…" Peter and Heather exchange stories about their lives before Sanctuary II at length. Eventually Heather starts to doze off again, and Peter stays with her until he's certain that she's asleep. He tucks her into bed and left the med bay.  
~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

Proxima Midnight barks in order from the front of the gym and the kids broke off into pairs to stretch. "I heard Edbe is getting discharged tomorrow," Allace kept her voice low. She leaned on Peter's back as he slid down into the splits.

Peter sighs, "Yeah, but I think she's gonna need to spend a couple of weeks in rehab." 

Allace frowned, "What, why?"

He propped himself up on his elbows, "They implanted cybernetic enhancements into her spinal cord." 

The other kids murmur their sympathies. "First time through rehab is the hardest, " Nebula muttered.

"When does Heather get out?" Ophid asked.

"Didn't ask," Allace snapped. Proxima Midnight yells for them to switch, and the children are quick to follow her instructions. Peter pushed on Allace's back but was careful not to hurt her.

Ophid pressed their lips into a hard line. They don't quite scowl at Allace, there's more sadness in their eyes than anger. "Heather said it was an accident."

Nebula scoffed, "You don't do something like that on accident."

Peter shrugged, "Cauda could have moved, there was plenty of time to get out of the way. I think… I think he chose not to." The more he thought about what happened the more flaws he found. Wasn't it strange that the white coats took so long to help Cauda?

"Wouldn't be the first time something like that happened," Ophid muttered gravely.

Allace looks up at Ophid with curiosity. "What do you–Ow, ow, ow, ow!" They squealed when Proxima Midnight pressed her knee against their back, pushing them all the way down to the mat. Nebula bites back a smirk.

"Enough chatter!" Midnight snapped at them, "Unless you'd like to join your siblings in the med bay?"

There are several "No ma'am's" mumbled out of unison. They finished warming up in silence. Proxima Midnight had them practice their martial arts for a little over three hours, all the while circling them like a hawk. If she found any weaknesses in their form or stance she would lash out violently, and they would have to start the exercise over. The muscles in Peter's arms and legs are screaming in protest by the end of it.

They got a short break while they waited for the eldest children to finish using the sparring ring. Peter lay on his back, breathing heavily. Nebula stood over him carrying a cup of water. She nudged him with her foot. "You have to move the younger bracket needs to use the mat." 

"I can't. I'm dead," Peter said breathlessly. 

Nexus ran up and grabbed onto Nebula's legs, he stares down at Peter with concern. "Is Petey okay?"

"He's fine."

"Excuse you, I'm dying!"

Nexus' eyes whelmed up with tears, "Please don't die, Petey!"

Peter cringed and propped himself up on his elbows, "Wait, no, don't cry!"

"He's not dying, Nexus." Nebula reassured her younger brother. "Peter just caught a severe case of idiocy. Fortunately, I have the cure." She emptied the cup of water on his head.

Some of the kids giggled, as Peter shakes the water from his hair like a dog. "You enjoy this too much." He decided, glaring up Nebula. She only offers him a shrug in response. He stands up as more of his younger siblings begin to file into the gym. 

"Peter! Peter! Watch this!" Rexili shouted before kicking her sister, Mala, in the head.

"Wow, great job," Peter replied in near deadpan. Rexili beamed at him, and then Mala tackled her.

"Eh, it was sloppy. Her stance still needs work," Nebula mutters, and Peter rolled his eyes at her.

"Nebula! Peter!" Proxima Midnight calls out from across the gym. "Stop distracting your siblings! Get over here now!" 

"Yes, ma'am." They replied sullenly.

"Oo, Neby's in trouble!" Mala said, not missing a rare opportunity to mock her older sister. The others giggled, but one glare from Nebula shut them up. Peter sighed, and pulled her away before she decided to fistfight a 5-year-old.

Nebula pushed him away, "This is your fault!"

He held up his hands defensively, and whispered, "Don't talk you'll only make things worse." 

The sparring ring was a large square platform, pushed up against the padded back wall of the gym. There are padded ropes surrounding the other three sides. Proxima Midnight glared down at them as they approached, Her hands resting on her hips. "Palms up." Their other siblings are staring at them. Nebula and Peter held up their left hands as Midnight produced a wicked looking blade from the sheath. She slashed it across each of their palms. Peter winced a bit as he felt the burning, familiar sting. Nebula turned a shade purple and puffed out her cheeks in a pout. "I do not wish to talk to your grimy little faces again today, am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am." They murmured. Blood splattered on the floor. Peter dropped his hand to his side, flexing his fingers, as he waited for his cybernetics to close the wound. Nebula held her injured hand close to her chest and hung her head. 

"Hand to hand combat, no weapons today, " Midnight yelled to be heard. Peter groaned under his breath, he was ranked second to last for his age bracket in hand to hand combat. "We'll start with the top fighters and work our way down. Since Nebula is injured currently, Ophid and Allace are up first." Ophid throws Nebula a taunting look as they climb into the ring. Nebula seethed quietly next to Peter.

Unlike fights in the arena, the goal was to perfect the new moves they had learned and come up with ways to defend against them. There was also a strict time limit. They only had three minutes to win or lose. They watched all the other kids take turns sparring.

They're injuries took so long to heal, that Peter had to spar against Nebula. "Is this punishment for something?" He grumbled as he crawled into the ring. 

"What was that?" Midnight raised one thin eyebrow at him.

"Nothing, ma'am!" Peter squeaked. Nebula crawls into the ring after him, the slightest hint of a smile appears on her face. The whistle starts the match. 

Peter doesn't even see Nebula move. One second she's standing there and the next Peter was laying on the mat. The room is spinning, spots cloud his vision. He's had a broken nose enough times to recognize the pain. Nebula casts a long shadow over him and cracked her knuckles. "Really? Isn't that a little cliché?" Peter managed to get his right hand under him and pushed himself up. Nebula kicked him in the chest. Peter rolled across the mat and crashed into the padded wall. He curled up on his side, wheezing softly. At least two of his ribs are broken and one had punctured a lung. 

Nebula huffs and strolls across the gym towards Peter. "At least try to make this challenging for me, Peter," she hums tauntingly. He grits his teeth and tries to stand up again.

"There's no talking, " Midnight chided them.

Peter steadied himself against the wall and wiped the blood from his nose. The room was spinning. His chest aches with every breath. Nebula threw a punch and Peter barely managed to dodge it. He drove his elbow into Nebula’s gut. She took a step back and grunted. Peter tried to escape but Nebula grabbed him by the throat slamming him against the wall. Peter felt his feet lift off the ground. He’s gasping for breath and clawing at Nebula’s hand. Her ironclad grip doesn't budge. Peter wouldn’t last much longer. He did the only thing he could think of.

Peter licked his finger and stuck it in Nebula's ear. “Gah!” Nebula squealed and dropped Peter. She rubbed at her ear feverishly. Peter coughed up blood and mucus between staggered gulps of air. His lungs are on fire. He stumbled to his feet and bolted across the ring.

Nebula wrinkled her nose in disgust and shouted, “What in the stars was that?!” Her siblings burst into a fit of giggling. “Can he do that?!"

Midnight shrugged, "I'll allow it. Peter needs to use every tool at his disposal. He's fighting an opponent that outclasses him."

Nebula snarled and lunged at her little brother. Peter had to keep a distance between them. He managed to dodge the first blow and then the second. "You coward! Stop moving!" Nebula yells in frustration.

"So you can hit me!? No way!" He yells back as they circled the ring. 

Midnight buried her face in her hands and massaged her brow. "There's no talking!" The kids were giggling again. 

Then the power went out. They were left standing in utter darkness. The air filtration system choked on its last dying breath. The younger kids took the opportunity to scream. While the others muttered their complaints. "Who turned off the lights?! What's happening?! A power outage!"

"Do you think this is Edbe?" Ophid said, thinking aloud. Peter's eyes widened at the thought. His sister had limited control over electricity, but to fry the whole system like this… 

The soft blue emergency lights kicked on, and Peter could see a little better. "Miss Midnight, can I go to the med bay, Nebula hurt my pride!" Peter called out. He bounced on his heels.

She throws him an irritated look. "You may leave once you've been formally dismissed." 

Peter bolted. She tried to grab him but Peter darted around her. "I formally invite you to suck it!"

"You petulant little–"He didn't stick around to hear what Proxima was going to say. He knew he would pay dearly for the remark later. He couldn't bring himself to care about it right now. He raced down to the med bay. 

Peter heard Edbe before he saw her. Something smash against the wall, the sound of glass shattering mixed with her screams. A pale green light glowed from within the med bay. The jackboots had disappeared from their post at the door. It was a disaster inside. Several of the lights in the inpatient ward are broken, the glass littered the floor. The white coats cower behind the Jackboots. They made space for Peter. 

Edbe was having a full meltdown. She was crouched on the floor wailing and crying. Electricity surrounded her body like a protective shell, occasionally a stray bolt would fire off in a random direction. A white coat lay smoldering on the floor. The other Jackboot was guarding them, with a ferocious look on their face. Miertra and Photon stood off to the side, they wanted to help but there was no way to get close to Edbe without getting hurt.

Peter started to walk towards his sister but stopped when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. He turned to see his older sister Kekallie beside him. "It's too dangerous right now. We don't need any more accidents." Cauda. Peter nodded and stepped back. Kekallie held up Edbe's favorite stuffed animal for Peter to see and smiled. _Don't worry._ She seemed to say.

Kekallie slid the toy across the floor so it stopped just in front of Edbe's eyes. "Moo moo." Her voice was raw and hoarse. The electricity shell shrank slightly. She scooped up the doll carefully and cradled it in her arms. She sniffled a little and stopped wailing long enough to look up and see Kekallie standing there. The electricity shell shrank even further so it was barely there at all. The Jackboots inched closer to her. "Kekallie!" Edbe wails reaching one arm out towards her sister.

She smiled apologetically, and whispered to Peter, "When her defense mechanism drops, these morons are going to jump her. Think you can handle them?" Peter eyed the Jackboot and nodded. His fingertips brushed against his holster. He waves at Photon until he got her attention. He pointed out the other Jackboot. She seemed to catch on, nodding along. "Edbe, I'm coming closer now, okay?"

Edbe nodded, her eyes pleading for Kekallie's attention. Edbe dropped her electricity shell. Then several things happened all at once. The Jackboots lunged for Edbe, undoubtedly going to pummel her into submission and restrain her. Peter drew his blaster and fired twice. The bullets slip through the gaps in the Jackboot's armor, shattering his kneecaps. Photon grabbed onto Miertra's hand and rushed between the other Jackboot and Kekallie. She threw them back against the far wall. Kekallie swept Edbe up into her arms, holding her protectively close. "Anyone else?" Peter glared at the remaining white coats. They slink out of Peter's sight. 

Kekallie hushed Edbe gently and carried her back to bed. Photon, Meirtra, and Peter stood off to the side watching, wanting to comfort their sister but not knowing how. There's a deep rumble from somewhere within Sanctuary and all the lights turn back on. Except for the ones around Edbe's bed which were still broken. Edbe shielded her eyes from the light, and moaned, "It hurts. It hurts. I don't like it." 

"I know," Kekallie stroked Edbe's cheek gently as she hushed her.

"Make it stop. Make it stop, please," Edbe pleaded.

Peter spun to yell at the white coats. "Turn off the lights!" When they didn't respond immediately, Peter yanked out his blaster, "Now!" They scrambled to turn off the lights and everything is enveloped in darkness once more. Edbe eyes and antenna start to grow brighter. The emergency lights turn on, their deep blues mixing with the gentle greens of Edbe's electricity.

"Thanks, Peter," She murmurs.

He dropped his gaze to the floor. "Everything is brighter now, right? And louder too." 

Edbe looks at him curiously, "How did you know?"

He touched the metal piece on the back of his neck, and shrugged, "Well, uh, now we match." Edbe's eyes light up for a moment before she looks crestfallen again. 

Kekallie chuckled, "Oh that's right. Something similar happened when Peter was much younger, but his tantrum wasn't as destructive." 

Peter stomped his foot. He felt his ears burn with embarrassment, "It wasn't a tantrum. I don't throw tantrums!"

"It's okay Peter, you were right to be upset. The med bay is a scary place to wake up in." Kekallie said earnestly, and his younger siblings giggled at his expense. 

Photon crawls into Edbe's bed and made soft apologies for the damage she caused during their fight in the arena. Edbe apologized too. The girls mourned together, finding comfort in each other's company. Kekallie ushered the boys away to give them some privacy. 

Miertra stopped in front of his assigned bed. He grabbed onto Kekallie's sleeve. "Can you tuck me in, again?" She nodded. Miertra crawled into bed, Kekallie grabbed his ducky from where it had fallen on the floor and pulled the blankets up to Miertra's chin. 

"You rest and get better soon," she kissed his forehead and turned to leave. Peter followed her towards the exit.

Kekallie always did her best to take care of them. Many of his siblings looked up to her and thought foundly of her, including Peter. She always knew how to make them feel better, and doted on them more than their other elder siblings. Peter wanted to be as kind as she was, when he turned 16. Thinking aloud he says, "Did you bring Heather her bunny too?" Kekallie stopped dead in her tracks. He nearly bumps into her. 

She slowly turned to look down at Peter. "You went to visit Heather?"

Peter shrugged, "Yeah, to drop off her schoolwork. Why are you mad at me?"

"It's dangerous to be near Heather. She can't control her powers, you have to stay away from her." Peter had never seen Kekallie angry before or… No, that wasn't it.

"She's not any more dangerous than Edbe or Photon."

"She killed Cauda, Peter!" Her voice was tinged with urgent desperation.

"She said it was an accident."

"That doesn't happen by accident. She wanted to kill him." It was an echo of what Nebula said earlier. Peter scowled at his shoes. "Even that bastard Ebony knows his precious little student is beyond his control this time. Stay away from her, Peter, please." 

She was afraid. He dug his fingernails into his palm, "Okay," he lied. Kekallie breathes a sigh of relief.


	11. Stay in my Corner

Yondu was dozing off in his station on the bridge. He was working back-to-back shifts while Jazinda and the new second mate settled into their position. In one of the rare moments of peace, Yondu was hoping to catch up on some of his sleep. He had his eyes closed for just a few seconds. When he opened them again, two of the trinkets are missing from his console. The little plastic robot and the turtle.

Yondu assumes they just fell off, but a quick glance around the bridge proves this false. Someone took them. He rubbed his eyes and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Hey,” Yondu calls out to Kraglin. His first mate is hooking Jazinda's transmitter up to the security system. They both turn to look at Yondu. He tries to rub the sleep from his eyes and muster up a scowl. “Y'all know what happened to my trinkets?” 

Jazinda bites back a smile and shrugs, “Nope.” Kraglin very obviously looks behind Yondu and then back at him.

Yondu twisted around in his station. Gamora was sitting on the floor with his trinkets. She was making them talk to each other. “Gamora,” he growls her name. 

She quickly hid his trinkets behind her back. He curled one finger, “Come here.” Gamora stood up hesitantly. She looks past him at Jazinda, her eyes soft and pleading. "Now, Gamora!" She jumped and scurried over to his side. "Where are my trinkets, girly?"

She puffed out her cheeks and furrowed her brow. She refused to look at him. "I dunno." 

He tapped his fingers against his console, irritably. "Show me your hands."

She takes a step back, "I don't want to." Yondu rolled his eyes and grabbed her arm. "No!" She struggled against him. He roughly pulled her arm out from behind her back. She dropped the turtle in the struggle, it hit the ground hard, a long crack ran along the shell. They both stopped to stare at it. "Ah! Is he okay?"

Yondu let go of Gamora's arm to pick up the turtle. He inspected his trinket carefully and sighed, "I could probably glue the pieces back together." He returned the turtle to its proper place on his console. He levels a disapproving look at Gamora. "Hand it over."

"You have so many toys and you don't even play with them!" She shouted while holding the robot close to her chest.

"Cause they ain't toys! Give it here before you break that one too!"

Gamora's shoulders slumped and she hung her head. "I didn't mean to. Can't I keep it, please?" She said in that whining tone of voice that grated on his nerves.

"How about I give you a thrashing instead?" He snapped. The color drained from her face. She set the trinket on his console before darting across the bridge. She ducked behind Jazinda and clung to her jacket. Yondu snorted, "I'll take that as a no." 

"That was unnecessary," Jazinda did little to hide the contempt in her voice. She placed a comforting hand on Gamora's shoulder.

Gamora glares at Kraglin, “Tattletale.” 

“I didn't say nothing,” He mutters in his own defense. 

Yondu folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. "Unnecessary," he scoffs, "She should know the rules by now! She's lucky I haven't beaten them into her! We don't steal from each other, and you follow orders without whining and wailing."

Gamora squeezed Jazinda tighter. She rolled her eyes, "Stop getting emotional, you got your little toy back." 

Yondu slammed his fist on the edge of his console, "I'm not getting emotional! And they ain't toys–they're trinkets!"

"I hate to break this to you, but anger is an emotion," Jazinda replied plainly.

He glared at her, "Get out. You shouldn't be on the bridge." 

"I would love to," She snatched her transmitter out of Kraglin's hands, and forced a smile. "We're done here, right?" 

"Uh,"

She started to leave before he could reply. "Call me when he's done throwing a tantrum, I guess." She says with a flippant wave of her hand. 

"Shut the fuck up!" Yondu looked for something to throw at her but found nothing. The door to the bridge opened and then closed. "Ugh! I hate her! I hate that woman!" He fumes.

"I know," Kraglin said passively. With Jazinda gone, Gamora quietly moved to stand next to Kraglin.

"She thinks she's so much better than everyone else but she ain't! Self-serving, annoying, arrogant…" He trailed off into grumbling. Kraglin nodded along listening to him intently. Eventually, Yondu sighs heavily, sinking lower in his station. The anger leaves him more exhausted than before. It hurts to keep his eyes open but his shift doesn't end until dinner. 

Kraglin goes back to his station and Gamora trails after him like a lost puppy. She sat down at his feet. Kraglin returned to work, he was going through all their expenses and trying to come up with a budget. It usually didn't take very long. Except that every few minutes Gamora would reach up and press a random button on his console. Yondu watched as Gamora closed all the tabs Kraglin was working on. He sighed with exasperation. "Gamora, enough." She blinked her eyes innocently at him. The moment he looked away she reached up to press the same button again. He slapped her hand away and rolled his eyes. She giggled.

“Gamora, if you're bored, I'm sure Kraglin can find somethin’ for you ta do," Yondu suggested dryly.

“No, that's okay,” She replied quickly.

Unfortunately, Yondu had already made up his mind. “Kraglin, ya got work for Gamora?”

“Yes, sir.” He throws Yondu a grateful look.

Gamora stifled a groan, “But I just finished my last shift!”

"Me, me, me," Yondu mimics her whining sarcastically. “I don't wanna hear it.” 

Gamora went back to pouting, knowing that trying to argue with Yondu would only lead to pain. Kraglin glanced down at his tablet. “Do you know how to take inventory?”

“I don't wanna,” She whined at him.

“Didn’t the Captain just tell you to stop whining?” Kraglin scolds her quietly.

Gamora stood up and crossed her arms, "This isn't fair, Jazinda wouldn't make me work! I like her more than you now." She sneers at the last sentence like it's an insult. It's probably the worst thing she can think of. 

“Then maybe you should go bother her instead,” Kraglin deadpanned. Gamora's eyes widened slightly and then she dropped her gaze to the floor. He opened the map of the Eclector on his tablet, and highlighted the path, “Go down to the storeroom and take stock of our freshwater supply." Gamora sulks and scuffed her boot against the ground. He sighed, lifting her chin with his finger, "Won't take long, I promise.” 

"Okay," She said glumly. She grabbed the tablet and stormed out of the bridge.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

When they didn't hear anything from Gamora after an hour, Kraglin didn't think much of it. He assumed she was still sulking, but when she didn't show up to dinner he started to worry. Kraglin hunted down Jazinda in the Mess deck. She was sitting with several of the new deckhands. She had her arm around Hazira's chair. “Jazinda, you know where our cabin girl is?”

She frowned and pulled away from Hazira. "I thought she was with you."

The tailor chimed in, “She probably got lost, again.”

“That's what I'm afraid of. I sent her to take inventory, could you check ta see if she's still there?" He asked.

Jazinda opened the live feed from the storeroom on her transmitter and quickly flipped through the cameras, “There she is.” Gamora was pacing between the shelving units. They watch her walk in a giant circle while looking around, confused.

“Crap,” She was lost. Kraglin even gave her a map this time. He waved for Jazinda to follow, “C'mon, I want your help finding her." She left the Mess without complaint. She kept an eye on Gamora as they tracked her down in the storeroom. 

“Hey, donut head!” His voice was amplified by the high ceilings. Gamora’s eyes light up when she sees them. “It's dinner time, let's go!”

“Kraglin! Jazinda!” She raced over to them. She's holding something behind her back. “Look at this skull I found! Isn't it cool?”

“Gah!” Kraglin jumped back as she shoved the skull of a small lizard towards him.

Jazinda laughed, “Very cool!”

"No, not cool," Kraglin grumbled.

Gamora beamed up at her. “Their name is Bob." 

“Put that down! It's nasty!” Kraglin scolded her from a safe distance away.

Gamora clutched the lizard skull close to her chest, “No way! Finders keepers!” 

"That doesn't apply here! Put it down!" He insisted, but Gamora stubbornly refused to give up her new prize. 

“Gamora, where did you find uh, Bob, exactly?” Jazinda asked carefully.

She frowned and looked around the storeroom. “I don't remember. There were all these cans and stuff.”

“They're in the food supply, ” Kraglin leads the group. He searches the storeroom, moving boxes and looking behind shelves. 

Gamora's eyes light up, “They’re over here!” She ran over to a packing pallet labeled: a-fd veg. Jazinda helped her pull it away from the wall. A swarm of lizards appeared from beneath.

Kraglin spits several curses and jumps back. Gamora squealed in delight and grabbed two lizards off the ground. “They're so wiggly!” She giggled, as the lizards squirmed in her hand.

“Drop it!” Kraglin ordered.

“Okay, okay, don’t yell at me.” Gamora carefully set the lizards on the floor. “Go on,” she told them sternly. The lizards scampered away.

“Drop the dead one too, ” He said.

“No, it's my new toy!” Gamora shouts back.

Kraglin pinched the bridge of his nose, “Gamora, that's not a toy! That's a dead animal! It's covered in disease, do you want to get sick?”

“I won't get sick, ” Gamora insisted. “Back home, I collected lizard bones and crustacean shells!”

“You…" Kraglin could barely contain his disgust.

“And I never, ever got sick.”

Kraglin buried his face in his hands and let out a pained groan. Jazinda bit her lip to keep from smiling, "I'll try talking to her, you handle the lizards, okay?"

“Yeah, okay,” Kraglin grumbled his response before moving to the other side of the storeroom to call the Captain. 

Jazinda strolls over to Gamora and rests her hands on her hips. The kid is fiddling with the dead creature, she glances nervously in Jazinda’s direction. “Y’know you can't keep the skull, right?”

Gamora frowns slightly, “It’s not hurting anyone.” 

“It might. It's a health hazard, you might not get sick but somebody else could.” Jazinda tried to explain patiently. “We have to space it.”

“That's not fair!” Gamora protested with a stomp of her foot. She hugs the skull close to her chest. "Every time I get a new toy, somebody takes it away from me! It's so boring here and nobody will play with me." 

Jazinda huffed, "I bet you have perfectly good toys back in your cabin. You can get a new one next time we're planetside."

She didn't think it was possible but Gamora's expression grew more solemn than before. "I don't have any toys." 

"What?" Jazinda knelt down and took one of Gamora's hands, "You've been here for weeks. What do you mean you don't have any toys? You must have something."

Gamora shook her head and then shrugged. "When we were on Leeto I stole some chalk from the other kids. I only got one good piece left now, though. I'm saving it for something special." She fiddled with the skull, opening the jaw and turning it about in her hands. Jazinda didn't know what to say. "If I had some paper and some scissors I could make some dolls, but I can't find any. I looked everywhere, even in this big closet." 

"This is the storeroom, not a closet," Jazinda said. Gamora shrugs at her indifferently.

Yondu stalked through the door with two deckhands in tow. They went about setting up traps where Kraglin directed them. Jazinda stood up and then crossed her arms. "Why doesn't she have any toys?"

Yondu gave her an ambivalent look. "I dunno, it ain't my problem." He waved her off and went back to talking to Kraglin.

Jazinda narrowed her eyes, "Gamora, why don't you show Udonta what you found." 

Gamora beamed and held out the skull for Yondu to see. "Yeah, very ni–Wait, Why do you have that!?"

"It's her new toy," Jazinda deadpanned.

"Yeah! Their name is Bob," Gamora opened and closed the jaw.

Yondu rubbed his temple with one hand. "That thing is not a toy. Put it down." 

She backed away from him, “Nuh-uh.”

“Gamora, ” He growled her name and moved closer. She bolted. She shoved the deckhands aside as she ran further into the storeroom. “Gamora!” Yondu stalked after her. Jazinda and Kraglin stood off to the side, watching. Gamora ran around the packing pallets, Yondu tried to catch her by going around the opposite way. They ended up running around in circles. 

"Ain't you gonna stop him?" Kraglin asked. He was sorting through the crate to see how much food they had lost. "Before he… Y'know."

Jazinda shrugged, "I'm content to watch for now. Is violence always his first response?" Kraglin shrugged back. She leaned against the crate he was digging through, trying to get him to look her in the eyes. "You could always intervene if you don't like what he's doing. Wasn't spanking your suggestion?" 

There was nothing accusing about the way she asked, but Kraglin grimaced anyway. He looked like he wanted to say something but then changed his mind. He pressed his lips into a hard line and mumbled, "It ain't my place."

"What about your Quartermaster, aren't they supposed to be in charge of discipline?"

"We never elected anyone, most ravager clans don't have Quartermasters." Kraglin waved a partially chewed box of freeze-dried corn at her. "We're only pirates by trade. The ship belongs to the Captain, not the crew." 

"So he has absolute power here," Jazinda grumbled dryly.

Yondu stopped chasing Gamora around the food crates long enough to glare at Kraglin and Jazinda. “A lil’ help here?” Kraglin gave him a thumbs up and Yondu rolled his eyes. While they were distracted Gamora climbed on top of the packing pallets. Yondu lifted his hands in an exasperated gesture. “Gamora! Get down from there!"

Gamora shook her head, “You're trying to steal from me! You said ravagers don't steal from each other!” 

“Now you remember the rule,” Yondu grumbled. Jazinda moved away from Kraglin, to stand near Yondu. “You got 3 seconds to get down from there, girly, or nobody's gonna be happy!" Gamora climbed up higher.

"You're just making things worse." Jazinda hissed at him. 

Yondu growled back, "That girl needs discipline. She's been acting like a brat all day!"

"She's lonely and bored because she doesn't have any toys. Hitting her isn't gonna fix that!" Jazinda insisted. Their argument quickly escalated to shouting. "She needs something to play with!"

Yondu rolled his eyes, "No, she doesn't! Kids won't die without toys! I never had any."

Jazinda gives Yondu a pointed look, "Do you want her to run away again?"

"What would have me do?! She can't keep carrying that dead thing around!" He growled back.

Jazinda turned to look up at Gamora. "What about a trade?" She dug through her wallet for units. "I'll give you 40 units for it."

Gamora shook her head, “No.”

Jazinda huffed and shoved her wallet back into her pocket. Kraglin chimed in, “Wouldn't you rather have a cute hair ribbon or a pretty dress?"

Gamora closed one eye and held up the skull to Kraglin. She opened and closed the jaw, "Chomp. Chomp. Chomp!" Kraglin sighed heavily as Gamora pretended the skull ate him.

“There's nothing you want more than a dead lizard. Nothing at all?” Jazinda pressed her.

“Um, maybe there's one thing…" She looked up at them hesitantly, "I want the little blue robot.”

“Nope. Pick something else,” Yondu snapped.

“Oh, come on,” Jazinda groaned and rolled her eyes.

“Did I miss something?” Kraglin asked Jazinda.

“She wants my lil robot guy, the one on my console,” Yondu grumbled bitterly.

“I'm keeping Bob then, ” Gamora decided. 

Jazinda moved closer to Yondu and lowered her voice. “Let her have the dumb toy.”

“It ain't a toy and it's mine,” He hissed back.

“This is so stupid. You're a grown man."

“Shut the fuck up. The brat can't have it.” They dissolved into incomprehensible hushed bickering. Yondu kept saying the word no over and over again, and Jazinda kept trying to talk over him. 

“By the stars," Kraglin stuffed his hands into his pockets. Gamora looked at Kraglin curiously. “This could go on for a while, I should… probably do something, right?"

Gamora nodded and opened the skull's mouth. "Chomp, chomp."

The deckhands were starting to stare. Kraglin sighed aggressively, "Uh, Captain, sir?" He ignored him. "Captain… Yondu!" 

"What!?" Yondu and Jazinda both snap at him. 

Kraglin shrank away from them and swallowed hard. "Uh, well uh, sir, Ga-Gamora only wants the trinket cause you have it. She'll get bored of it… eve–eventually.”

Jazinda crossed her arms and glared at Yondu, but he's only looking at Kraglin. "Even you think I'm the bad guy..." He grumbled under his breath in a language Gamora didn't recognize. He threw his hands up in exasperation. "Alright, fine! You win. Ya gotta deal, girly.” 

She hops down from the packing pallet and beams at him. “You mean it?”

“Yeah,” Yondu confirmed reluctantly, “But ya gotta drop the dead thing first.” 

“Oh okay,” Gamora carefully set the skull on the ground. She gave it one last affectionate pat before skipping over to them.

“And you have to wash your–" Yondu looked at the skull with disdain, "Everything."

“Wait, that wasn't part of the deal, ” Gamora whined.

“That's enough outta you, little girl.” He picked Gamora up by the waist and tucked her under his arm, holding her firmly against his hip. She found herself staring at the ground, her limbs dangling freely.

"No! No! Put me down!" She kicks and squirms but Yondu doesn't let go. Jazinda and Kraglin watched Yondu carry Gamora off to the showers, despite her wailing protests. 

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

“Stop squirming!” Yondu tugged Gamora's pink nightgown over her head. He swore she was trying to make this difficult on purpose. Gamora was bouncing on her heels and softly chanting the word robot. She slipped her arms through the sleeves. “Why does this thing have so many damn buttons?” Yondu grumbled as he attempted to do the small white buttons on the back.

“Ya want some help?” Kraglin leaned against the doorway to Gamora's bathroom on the Quaterdeck.

“I’d be fine, if she’d just stop moving,” Yondu insisted. He would not be defeated by a dress. 

Kraglin snagged a fresh towel, “C’mere you!” He rubbed the towel over her head and dried off her hair.

She giggled and stopped bouncing long enough for Yondu to button up her nightgown, “There.” 

Gamora spins around so the nightgown flares out at her knee. She smiles brightly at Yondu. “Can I have the robot now, pleeeease?” 

He stood up slowly, and glanced over at Kraglin, “Has she eaten dinner yet?”

Kraglin pitched the towel into the laundry shoot, “No, sir.”

Gamora hopped up and down, “Robot. Robot. Robot." She chanted quietly. 

“Ya need to eat somethin’ first,” Yondu decided. 

Her shoulders slumped, “But you said–”

“I know what I said." Yondu pinched the bridge of his nose, "Don't whine at me." He ushered her out of the changing room and into the hallway. “Anybody else would have spaced your ass for being this much trouble! Go eat, something.”

Gamora's expression fell, she hung her head. Kraglin took her by the hand, “Come on, donut head.” She let him lead her away from Yondu. 

They walked away from the quaterdeck and out onto the catwalk. The small orange lights inside the metal grate illuminate the path in front of them. Above and below her lay only endless darkness. Gamora had never grown used to the sensation of walking above the massive pit. She kept one hand latched onto the railing. Just in case the rusted metal grate decided to give out from under her today.

Kraglin squeezed her hand. They had been walking in silence for a while now and it had given Gamora time to think. She squeezed his hand back. "Why do you like Yondu?" Her voice echoed slightly in the dark expanse of the ship.

"Uh–"Kraglin was caught off guard. He throws Gamora and a confused and mildly concerned look. "What?"

"Why are you friends with Yondu?" She clarifies, making sure to enunciate her words carefully. "Why do you like him?"

Kraglin seemed to relax somewhat. "Oh um, shoot, lemme think,"

Gamora stared out into the darkness. "He was nice to me while we were planetside, but now he's being mean and stupid again." She almost found it funny how desperate she was for Yondu to be different. "All he does is yell at people and hit them."

"You only think that cause you can't keep yourself outta trouble," Kraglin scoffed at her. He looked up into the dark pit that lay above them and thought aloud. "Udonta is–well, he's a good leader, and he's certainly more generous than other Captains I've served under."

"Generous?" Gamora interjected skeptically.

"Yeah," Kraglin nodded, "On other ship's you might have ta pay for your meals and your medical treatment. Don't forget that he's giving you his trinket, too." He poked her in the side to make her giggle. They stepped off the catwalk and into the long stretch of corridors leading to the Mess.

"But you and Jazinda had to talk him into that," Gamora pointed out.

"Well, that's," Kraglin sighed and started over, "The robot's special." Gamora looked up at him curiously. He let go of her hand to rub his neck timidly. "When Yondu was younger, Stakar–the Captain on Yondu's previous ship–gave that to him. It's the first in his collection." 

Gamora frowned. It was hard enough for her to imagine Yondu ever being younger, but it was even more difficult to picture Yondu _not being_ the Captain. "That's impossible," She decided.

Kraglin chuckled, "What makes you say that?"

"Because… because…."

"Okay, don't hurt yourself, kid," He interjected with mirth.

"How could he not be the Captain?!" Most of the crew had already cleared out of the Mess deck. Kraglin leads Gamora over to an empty table as she continues to rant. "Nobody ever tells Yondu what to do, nobody scolds him, or tells him no. He doesn't listen to anybody!"

"After Stakar picked Yondu up, he served as a midshipman on Stakar's crew," Kraglin said just to see the look of astonishment on Gamora's face. 

"What–that's– _No!_ " She slammed her palms on the table and Kraglin laughed at her. Buttons and Bones–the twin 19-year-olds–were midshipmen. Gamora knew it was the 2nd lowest rank on the ship, only 1 step above cabin girl. The position was usually reserved for teenagers or the inexperienced. "You're teasing me again!"

"I ain't. You can ask him about it when he gets here," Kraglin said in his own defense. He headed back into the galley to find Gamora some dinner. She slowly sank back into her chair. It was more than her 8-year-old mind could comprehend.

Kraglin returned with a plate of food for Gamora and a cup of coffee for himself. He sat down next to her. "Angler saved two of the stuffed pastry things for ya so you better thank him later." 

"I will," Gamora grinned and dug into her meal. Some of the food was starting to go cold, and Gamora smooshed it around her plate trying to warm it up a little.

Jazinda drifts over to their table, "That looks good." She plucked one of the pastries off her plate.

"Hey!" Gamora tried to take it back but Jazinda popped the whole thing into her mouth.

"What? I didn't get to finish my dinner since some little girl got herself lost," Jazinda says with a lopsided grin.

"I didn't get lost. I just didn't know where I was or how to leave. The ship is really, really, big!" Gamora spread her arms out for emphasis. Kraglin chuckled under his breath.

"Oh look, you brought me coffee too, how sweet." Jazinda plucked the coffee mug out of Kraglin's hands before he could drink from it.

"Hey, that's–You–"Jazinda sat down at the table across from him. She leans back in her chair and puts her boots up on the table. She raised her eyebrows and smirked, daring him to protest. She wanted a fight. Kraglin clenched his jaw and let out an agitated sigh. Jazinda drank his coffee. "You… Fine. Whatever." He stood up to get more coffee. 

Gamora frowned, "Don't be mean to Kraglin." 

Her smile grew wider, "Why do you care? I thought you hated everyone."

"I do!" Gamora furrowed her brow, suddenly struggling to say the words. "I… I hate..." Gamora frowned at the plate of food Kraglin had prepared for her. She was eating the pastry Angler had baked and saved for her, and wearing the pretty nightgown that Hazira had made for her. 

"I didn't realize Kraglin's stammer was infectious," Jazinda deadpans.

In a moment of pure irritation, Gamora muttered the phrase she had heard Yondu shout at Jazinda a dozen times before, "Shut the fuck up." Jazinda looked surprised at first but then started laughing. 

Gamora realized with dawning horror that she had just cursed at an adult and felt her face flush with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking–I didn't mean to–"

"No, stop apologizing. That was adorable." Jazinda snickered into her mug.

It's then that Yondu wanders into the Mess deck. Gamora was still so embarrassed about the whole ordeal that she didn't even realize he had walked over to their table, until he set the little blue robot down on the table in her direct line of sight. “Robot!” She chirped and reached her grabby little hands out for it. The previous lapse in manners, quickly forgotten.

Yondu doesn't let go of the robot right away, “Be careful with this. I don't wanna see a scratch on it."

"I'll take really, really good care of it," Gamora promised earnestly. Yondu finally– _finally_ –let go of the robot. Gamora squeals gleefully and holds the robot up to the light. It's mostly transparent plastic is a pretty blue color. It had rubies for eyes and limbs that moved about freely. Gamora holds it out for Jazinda to see. "Isn't she pretty?"

Yondu made a face, "She?" Before Gamora could discern what his tone was implying, Jazinda elbowed Yondu in the side and glared. He rolled his eyes, "Right, okay! She's very…" He accidentally caught Gamora's hopeful gaze. He sighed heavily and started over in a completely different tone, "She's pretty."

"She's great, Gamora." Jazinda said into her mug.

Gamora ate the last two bites of her dinner and shoved the plate away from her. "I'm all done!" She jumped from her chair and ran over to Yondu.

"What are you–" Gamora hugged him. He froze in place. Then he blinked and made a strange strangled noise, "Ack–Okay! Okay. I didn't give ya permission ta touch me." 

"I'm gonna go play, now!" Gamora giggled and then ran towards the door. She pretended the robot was flying alongside her. 

Kraglin suddenly called across the Mess. "Hey, go to bed early tonight, you're playin' officer's assistant ta Jazinda tomorrow!"

"Okay!" Gamora yelled back. She was far too happy to even complain about having to go to bed early.

Yondu watched her until she disappeared around the corner. He straightened his jacket and pretended he didn't see Jazinda's smug grin. "Children need toys, huh?" 

She took her feet off the table and drank the rest of the coffee. "Kids need to play," She echoed dryly. "You should go check on her later, she could get too excited and stay up all night." 

"Me? Why can't you do that?" Yondu groused.

"Because I'm taking your next watch." 

"What?" He stood up too quickly and his vision swam. He had to grab onto the chair to keep from falling over.

"You need sleep." Jazinda stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. Slowly pushing him back down into the chair. She was much stronger than Yondu remembered. Jazinda turned and walked towards the exit. 

Yondu stood up again. "Ya can't tell me what–"

"If you try to follow me to the bridge, I'm going to tell your doormat of a work husband, _and the ship's doctor,_ exactly how many hours you've been awake." She announced with a wave of her hand. 

_Damn._ Yondu bit his tongue and sat back down. "He's not a doormat!" He shouted even though Jazinda could no longer hear him. 

Kraglin, who was very much still in the room, narrows his eyes at Yondu. "Wait, how long have you been awake?"

 _Double damn._ "Uh–"Yondu pretended to check his transmitter"–Someone's calling me. I have to go over there for, uh, reasons." 

"Are you running away from me?" Kraglin asked incredulously, as he watched Yondu retreat out of the Mess and down the hall.

Later that evening, Yondu checked on Gamora's cabin only to find her sound asleep. A peaceful smile on her face as cuddled the little robot in her sleep. Yondu quietly shut the door and went to bed.


	12. Sweet Baby James

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This ones so angsty im sorry asdffgdjdjss

Thanos let her cut it out. The light of the fluorescents burns his retina but Peter doesn't close his eyes. He's laying on his back on a wooden table, inside the War Room. His eyes betray him and tears spill down his cheeks mixing with the pool of his blood. His mouth burned with agonizing intensity. Your body could only process intense pain as burning. Proxima Midnight had worked slowly trying to draw out his punishment for as long as possible. Peter tried to retreat inside his mind, but the excruciating sound kept pulling him back to reality. There was no escape.

Thanos casts a long shadow over Peter, eclipsing the fluorescents, "I am letting you off easy this time, for assisting with your sister's outburst. Do not expect me to be so lenient with you in the future. Under no circumstances are you allowed to skip your training or speak with such disrespect for your elders." Thanos reached down and brushed Peter's hair out of his eyes. He recoiled from Thanos' touch violently. "Am I understood, little songbird?" He managed a small nod.

"What? No, 'yes sir?" Proxima Midnight flashes teeth in something like a nasty smile.

Corvus sighs, "Kids these days simply have no manners." Peter prayed that he would fall unconscious from all the pain, but the cybernetic enhancements won't allow him even that small mercy.

Ebony Maw chuckles and shakes his head at them. "No snarky reply either. Maybe you really broke the boy this time." Midnight makes the mistake of leaning over Peter. He spat blood into her eye with a snarl.

Corvus and Ebony burst into uproarious laughter. "You insolent brat!" Midnight drives her knife into the table. Peter flinched, closing his eyes for a brief second. 

Thanos tires of their antics and moves to open the door. "You are dismissed." It feels like an eternity before his tormentors disperse. Corvus and Ebony shuffle out of the room, the conversation moving from Peter to invasion tactics. "Fetch the servants to clean this mess up, and make sure the boy is presentable in time for dinner," Thanos says to someone waiting outside the war room.

Midnight rips the knife from the table with a violent snarl. The blade knicks Peter's ear, but the sting is small compared to his other injury. He doesn't so much as blink. "I'm going to make a necklace out of your skull," She said casually. When Peter still didn't respond, she frowned and turned to leave. The door to the war room closed behind her.

Someone had slipped into the room while Proxima Midnight was leaving. They walked across the room to stand in front of Peter. Kekallie gently touched the side of his face. "Peter, I'm so sorry." Pain and concern creased her pretty face. "I'm going to pick you up now, okay?" He closed his eyes.

She gently lifted Peter off the table as if he weighed nothing at all, and carried him out of the war room. Tears streamed down his cheeks. He was suddenly struggling to breathe, as he tried to choke down a sob. If he makes too much noise it will upset Thanos. But the feeling of safety and comfort that came from being in Kekallie's arms, was overwhelming. Peter gives in and lets himself cry quietly. 

When they finally reached the bathroom, Kekallie sat on the edge of the bathtub and held Peter tight. She rocks him gently for what feels like hours. His eyes itched and his whole body ached but it was nothing compared to the excruciating pain in his mouth.

Peter managed to pull himself together and Kekallie helped him stand up. She turned on the shower and warmed up the water for Peter. A wave of exhaustion swept over him. It's all he can do to just stand there. Simply taking off his bloodstain clothes will be difficult now, but his pride won't let him ask Kekallie for help. "I'll return with a towel and a change of clothes for you." He watched Kekallie disappear through the door.

Peter managed to get in the shower and scrub off the blood that's caked onto his skin. He uses more shampoo than necessary to get the blood out of his hair. Some of it gets in his eyes. There's more blood in his mouth, but it doesn't really matter. He can't taste anything anymore. The warm water soothes the ache in his chest. He felt a little better. 

When Kekallie returns, Peter allows her to dry him off and help him get dressed. He's too tired to protest. Peter used Standard Sign Language to say the word "Cabin," at Kekallie and stretched out his arms. She had taught him Sign Language after the first time he paid the price for talking back to Proxima Midnight. Kekallie picks him up again and carries Peter to his cabin. Peter pats her biceps, then he signs slowly with shaking hands. "How are you this big? What are you eating–rocks?"

Kekallie snorted, "If you're making jokes already, maybe you can walk." Peter cracks a small smile. He shakes his head vigorously and wraps his arms around his older sister's neck. He liked it when Kekallie spoiled him.

It would be months before the cybernetics could regrow Peter's tongue. 

He kept his head down for the next few days, and tried not to draw attention to himself. Soon after that, his siblings were released from the med bay, and slowly the days fell into their usual mundane rhythm. Two weeks passed uneventfully.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

Peter is five years old again. "Do you remember the words to Sweet Baby James? I need you to close your eyes, and sing, okay?" His mother smiled kindly at him, but something is lurking beneath the surface. Fear, anger, pain. She's going to die soon.

She's carrying him through the forest towards their house, away from the school park. Away from the slaughter. Peter shakes his head. "I don't want to," He says in perfect Standard.

It's an otherworldly language she doesn't understand. She looks at him with revulsion, "Who are you?" A bullet hole blooms in the center of her forehead. Blood pours down her face, it turns her eyes red. Her expression twists in agony and horror. Peter squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears. He starts to sing. He never remembers to apologize to her before she dies.

"Deep greens and blues are the colors I choose.  
Won't you let me go down in my dreams." When he opens them again he's back at the park. Thanos' fleet of ships blots out the sun, casting his whole world into darkness. It sounds like distant thunder as they breach the atmosphere. His father and mother are watching him from a nearby bench. As long as Peter stays on the swing they won't notice the alien ships, but they'll always be far away from him. His father is tuning his old beat up guitar for the last time. His mother smiles at her husband for the last time. Peter hears the voices of his siblings giggling like a distant echo. He knows they're just behind him, but if he turns around to check the fun will end and his parents will disappear. Peter wants it to always be fun. The swing squeaks rhythmically. "Maybe you can believe it if it helps you to sleep. But singing works just fine for me." 

A red curtain unfurls at the edge of the park. Heather bursts through the center. Her eyes are wild with fear, her breathing is staggered. Peter hops off the swing and starts walking towards her, "Jellybean?"

She's on the verge of tears. "Peter! Someone's trying to break into my cabin! Neby still won't talk to me, and I–" something gives her pause. She wrinkled her brow, "I'm speaking English?"

By the time Peter reaches Heather's side, he's eight years old again. "All my dreams are in English." He explains and grabs her hand. "I'm sure it's nothing. Maybe it's one of the aprons trying to get your laundry."

"No! They want to hurt me! I'm scared, Peter," Heather insisted.

He sighs, "Okay, okay, I'll come to check on you." Peter grabbed his blaster from his holster and they stepped through the curtain.

Peter sits bolt upright in bed and points his blaster at the door. He must have grabbed it in his sleep. He scrambles out of bed and slips into the hallway. He can barely see anything, but he knows these hallways well. Peter hears Heather scream. His training takes over. He moves quickly, staying near the walls and keeping low to the ground.

A figure shrouded in darkness is struggling with Heather. They've managed to drag her out of her cabin. Heather makes a desperate gasp for air. Peter grits his teeth, he can't see anything. He can't get a clear shot. He unloads two rounds into the floor. The flash of light temporarily blinds him. Peter hears the other cabin doors open and light floods the hallway. Whoever was attacking Heather is gone. "Peter for the light of our star!" Nebula groans and presses her forehead against the doorframe, "Stop discharging your weapon inside! It's so loud!"

"Peter! I'm trying to sleep!" Meirtra throws a pillow at him. Voros stares down the hallway trying to discern what has happened.

Peter ignores them. He sticks his blaster in his pocket and drops down beside Heather. There's a rope tied around her neck, she's coughing and struggling to breathe. She pulls at the rope frantically, desperate to remove it. He signs slowly, so Heather can understand: "Stop, I'll help." Heather stayed still, however, Peter struggled to loosen the noose around her neck.

Voros drops his pocket knife at Peter's feet. "Use that." He nodded and carefully cut the rope off. 

Heather crumpled into a ball, she clings to Peter's chest. Her voice sounds raw and scratchy, "Hurts." She manages to murmur between breaths. 

Voros returned his knife to his pocket, "You got this one?" Peter nods and rubs Heather back attempting to soothe her. Voros nodded back at Peter and then turned to herd his siblings back to bed. Nebula grumbles bitterly and stomps back into her cabin.

"Med bay?" Peter signed slowly. Heather shook her head and rubbed her throat. He points towards her cabin and tilts his head to the side curiously.

Heather groans, "No, I can't go back in there. I can't, I can't, " She shakes her head and squeezes Peter tightly. He wipes away her tears with his thumb. He waits patiently for her to pull herself together enough to look up at him again. 

He signs with a lopsided grin: "Want to sleep in my cabin?"

"Yes, please."

He helped Heather stand up and held her hand as they walked to his cabin. Heather went inside while Peter grabbed extra blankets and pillows from the linen closet in the hallway. He pauses when he sees that Heather is laying on his bed. She has cocooned herself in his blankets. Peter drops the extra blankets. He shakes his head and stalks across the room. He signs at her deliberately and aggressively: "My bed, get off." Heather pulls the blankets over her eyes so she can't see him signing. Peter groaned melodramatically and tried to pull the blankets off of her. It turns into a game of tug of war. Peter eventually manages to yank the blankets away from her. He threw them on the floor to sign: "I'm not sleeping on the floor!"

"That's too fast, I can't understand you," Heather whines. 

Peter rolled his eyes and grabbed a pad of paper and pen off his desk. Heather takes the opportunity to snatch the blankets from the floor and reassemble her cocoon. Heather reads the note. "There's plenty of room on the bed with me." She pats the empty space next to her. Peter quickly scribbles out a response. "I'm not hogging all the blankets! There's plenty on the floor, " she says pointedly. Peter let out a defeated sigh. This was ridiculous. Clearly, Heather wasn't going to move and Peter wasn't about to sleep on the floor.

He reloads his blaster and tucks it under his pillow. Just in case he needs it. Peter turns off the lights and crawls into bed with Heather. She wraps her arms around his chest and nuzzles her head into the crook of his neck. He lazily throws one arm over her. Just before he drifts off to sleep again he hears Heather whisper, "Thank you." 

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

"Voros calls it hatchling crushing," Nebula says as she slides her tray down the buffet. The mess hall was much less extravagant while they had no guests on Eclector.

Peter raised his eyebrows as he signed: "This has happened before?"

"A few times, yeah, " Nebula shrugged casually like she was talking about the weather. "It's easier to kill kids like Heather before they've fully come into their powers. Take out the threat early before any more accidents happen." She drifts down the buffet picking at the food. 

"You can't be certain our family tried to kill bean," He signs aggressively.

"No, I'm certain," Nebula muttered, she kept her eyes lowered. She held the tray until her knuckles turned white. "Think about this logically. Heather poses the biggest risk to us. Someone will have to fight her in the Arena again, if she can't maintain control it's likely more of us will die. We have the most motivation to see her not wake up."

Peter scowls at her and signs faster: "You don't know that! Maybe there's an assassin working to take down Thanos from the inside."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard, " Nebula replies flatly. Peter folds his arms and narrows his eyes at her. Nebula wrinkles her nose at him, "You know what I mean. Why would an assassin go after Heather? She's only ever killed one person, unlike…" She shrugs, her face twisting into a grimace. Unlike us.

He continued, "You're afraid of the truth."

Nebula slammed her tray down on the buffet. "You're the only one that's afraid. Hatchling crushing has been going since before Dad found me. It's always kids in the younger brackets, and it always happens in the dead of night." She took a deep breath and her tone turned grave, "I wouldn't lie to you. Not about this."

Peter hesitated. His eyebrows knit together, his expression twisted into a grimace. He signs slowly and deliberately. "It can't be one of our siblings."

She starts to walk away from him. Without another way to get her attention, Peter grabbed onto her shoulder. She had to be wrong. He needed Nebula to be wrong. "I don't remember my birth family like you, Peter. This is all I have. I don't want it to be this way, but I'm not going to hide behind delusions either." Her voice was softer than a whisper. Peter let go of her shoulder.

She left him standing alone in front of the buffet. 

Peter let his hands fall to his sides. He knew Nebula had a point. He had gone over the event of the night over and over again in his mind. Whoever attacked Heather knew the layout of Sanctuary II. They were fast too. Faster than any of the Jackboots. 

His stomach growled and Peter pushed the unpleasant thoughts to the back of his mind. Since Heather was released from the med bay, she had been eating all her meals inside her lab. She was hiding from the others. Peter waves down one of the Aprons. He asks for a lunchbox but the Apron only looks at him strangely. "I'm sorry, did you need something?" Peter signs the word lunchbox aggressively. "I don't understand." He hissed through his teeth and ran his hands through his hair. The apron takes a step back, "I'm sorry."

"He wants a lunchbox, " Kekallie calls out from behind him. 

"Of course, I'm sorry, right away." They back away slowly, while keeping their eyes on Peter. He wanted to say that looking him in the eyes would not stop him from killing them, but they wouldn't understand him anyway. 

"It must be frustrating not being able to communicate with them." Kekallie's presence is soothing, Peter relaxes a little. She gestures to her mouth, "Does it still hurt? I can get you more medication."

Peter half shrugs and then shakes his head. "Well that's good, " she said. Peter leans against his sister for comfort. His older siblings, Voros and Kekallie, snuck Peter medication to help with the pain. Thanos might actually kill them if he knew Peter was getting medical attention for something that was supposed to be a punishment.

The Apron returned with a clear plastic container. "Will this work?" Peter takes it from them. 

He trails down the buffet, filling the plastic container with food that Heather liked. Candied arachnids, caramel mapple slices, and sweet rolls. Kekallie raises one curious eyebrow. Peter sets the container down and signs solemnly: "For beans."

Kekallie takes the container from him and fills it with healthier food. "Heather has been spending all her time in that laboratory of hers. I think she might even be sleeping in there." Kekallie chuckles like there's a joke in there somewhere.

Peter shakes his head. He signs: "Beans is sleeping in my cabin."

Kekallie puts a lid on the container and sets it aside. "You always made her feel safe." She smiled and Peter felt his chest swell.

"You think so?"

"Of course," She touched his hair affectionately. "Hurry along, lunch is almost over." Peter carries the container out of the cafeteria.

He wanders past her empty laboratory and down to the gym. This region on the ship is usually abandoned during lunch. He carefully steps over the cleaning bots milling about the hallway. Photon was standing outside an open door to the gym, lurking in the shadows. Ebony Maw's voice echoes down the hallway, "Why didn't fight back?"

Photon spots Peter walking towards her and grabs him by the arm. She pressed a finger to her lips and Peter rolled his eyes. "I–I couldn't. Not after Cauda." Heather's voice waivers, "Miertra can't even look at me."

"My dear, I know this hard for you, but you must understand your siblings never really cared for you, they're your competitors." Ebony's tone is gentle and reassuring but it made Peter's blood boil. He dug his fingernails into palms. Heather mumbles a response that's too quiet to hear. "I'm the only one on your side here. Don't you trust me?" Peter tries to stalk into the room but Photon restrains him. She shakes her head.

"Of course I trust you, " Heather mumbles flatly, "but I don't know if, "

Ebony interrupts her. "You are more than prepared for this. They attack you in your sleep because they know they could not take you in a real fight." Peter shoves off Photon to peer around the doorframe. Ebony places a kind hand on Heather's head. Her eyes are puffy and blue-green. She looks miserable. "If you wish to continue running away, I will not stop you. I know you will make the right choice in the end."

"Okay," Her reply is sullen and quiet. She rubs her eyes feverishly before adding, "I should go. Peter is getting impatient." Photon was startled. She yanks Peter away from the doorframe.

He has the realization first and signs: "They're telepaths." Photon slaps her forehead with her palm.

Ebony says, "Photon you can stop hiding. We should speak as well." 

Photon hung her head and stepped into the doorway, "Hi, teacher." He gestures for her to come closer. She glares at Heather as they pass each other. Heather is quick to attach herself to Peter's side.

He looks between Photon and Ebony and frowns. "She'll be okay." Heather replies to Peter's concerned thoughts, "Ebony would never hurt us. He's our teacher." Somehow, Peter finds that very hard to believe. 

He stood in the doorway, stubbornly refusing to move. Photon shoots a glare over her shoulder, "I'll be fine. I don't need your protection. I'm not a coward like her." Heather winced, tugging on Peter's sleeve. He sighs and allows Heather to pull him away.

Heather leads them over to her lab, she's still clinging to Peter's arm. He pulls away to sign: "You're not weak for wanting help."

"I know." Heather pressed her lips into a thin line. "Pho resents me for what happened. We've always been rivals but now, I think she really hates me." Peter grabbed onto her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. The corner of her mouth turns up slightly when he bumps their heads together.

They move inside Heather's lab and she locks the door behind them. She was allowed to work on her experiments in her free time under the assumption that whatever she made would be sold to the Kree. Allace and Voros had similar arrangements. The tables and counters were made with a water-resistant material. There was a sink and a refrigerator to the side of the room, and several large enclosures for the live specimens pushed up against the back wall. The musty Peter had helped catch was happily making a nest out of wood chips. Peter sat down at the nearest table and set the container of food down. Heather turned on her burner and started a pot of tea.

Heather sits down across from him at the table and opens the container. When the kettle begins to whistle she pours two cups of tea before Peter could remind her that there really wasn't a point in making him tea. He accepts the teacup anyway. It smelled pleasant at least. Once they were settled in, Peter signs: "Why did you tell Ebony?"

Heather shrugs a little and pops one of the sliced vegetables into her mouth. "I can't hide anything from him. He knows when I'm lying." Peter nods, wondering briefly if Heather knows when he's lying. "Of course I do. I'm just polite enough not to call you on it." Peter makes a face at her, and she smiled, "Sorry." 

He sighs, making a mental note to watch what he thinks around Heather, which makes her giggle. Peter makes a show out of rolling his eyes. Then he signs, "Why didn't you tell Ebony who attacked you? Maybe he could have helped."

Heather shook her head, "I told you, I can't hide anything. He already knows who my attacker is because I know who attacked me." She takes another bite so she wouldn't have to say anything more. 

Peter frowns at her, and signs, "Could you tell me?"

"No, " She whispered, unable to look at him.

"Why not?"

Heather takes a shaking breath, she rubs her thumb against the lip of her teacup. "What are you going to do if I tell you?" 

Peter furrowed his brow. His first instinct was to kick the shit out of whoever hurt Heather, but he didn't want to hurt his siblings. He glares down at his teacup. He doesn't know who he can go to for help. There's not a single adult on board this ship that would protect them. He raises his head to look at Heather. There's no good choice to be made. Everything ends with more suffering, more death. He doesn't have an answer for her.

"I hope if I can stay hidden for long enough, they'll give up and leave me alone. Ebony says it won't work, that they're unrelenting and deceptive, but I… I don't want to hurt anyone." Heather sighed nervously and drank her tea. "For now, just don't tell anyone where I'm sleeping." Peter nodded solemnly. He sipped his tea and sat with Heather while she ate lunch.


	13. Sweet Child of Mine

"Where's Kraglin?" Gamora calls out when she sees Tullk step out of the cabin. She runs towards him.

Tullk smiles kindly, "Uh, he's takin' a nap right now, wee lamb." He points his thumb towards the open door. "Best tae leave 'im be."

"Okay." She replies sullenly, before discretely sticking her foot in the open doorway. Tullk starts to walk past her. The door tried to close, bumps against her foot, and then slides back open. Gamora watched Tullk disappear around the corner before stepping inside the cabin.

The cabin was much larger than hers. She could stand in the center and stretch her arms out without hitting anything. There was one bunk and two wardrobes pushed up against the sidewall, and two desks on the opposite side. On the far wall, there was a round window. Gamora quietly walks further into the cabin. The first desk is cluttered with small personal items, while the other is bare in comparison. She ignores the desks, for now, turning her attention towards the bunks instead.

All the bunks on the Eclector had curtains on the outside to provide the beds with some privacy. The curtain on the lower bunk was pulled closed. "Kraglin?" She pulled the curtain back to see him sleeping soundly. There was a book light clipped to the metal frame of his bunk, and two photos taped to the wall. One showed three boys roughhousing in front of an angular black ship with the name Tabulu Rus printed on the side. The other showed Oblo, Kraglin and some mysterious third man sitting at a bar. The man was smiling and had his arm around Kraglin's chair. He was rolling his eyes at the other two. "Kraglin," she raised her voice slightly and shook his shoulder. "Kraglin!"

He sat bolt upright in his bunk, slamming his head on the bottom of the next bunk. "Mother of a madr'a toog'l'k fucker–what!?" Gamora's eyes went wide as Kraglin spit curses in his native tongue. He rubbed the sore spot and his expression softened a touch. "Stars, d-don't repeat that."

"The part about mader–mad-m–"

Kraglin winced and shook his head. "All of it! Just forget what I said. I–uh, what's wrong? Is there an emergency?" He rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand. 

Gamora shrugged, "I'm bored."

He massaged his brow, "That's not an emergency. I… how did you get in here?"

Gamora shrugs again, she nervously glances toward the door. "Uh… The door was unlocked?" 

"Was that a question?"

"No?" She narrowed her eyes. 

Kraglin closed his eyes, and laid down again. "If you're going to lie to do it confidently, if you don't believe what you're saying why should I? Try again."

Gamora fidgeted and frowned. "The door was… unlocked."

"Better," He nodded and then pulled the curtain closed. "Now, go away. I'm sleeping."

She swayed back and forth while she waited. After about five minutes she opened the curtain again, "Are you done sleeping now?"

"No." He groaned.

Gamora waited very patiently for all of five seconds. "What about now?"

"Still, no."

She poked his back, "Kraglin," she whined. 

He pulled the curtain closed. "Go away. If I have ta tell ya again you're gettin' a smack."

Gamora sighed and sat down on the floor. She gave up on trying to wake him and after sulking for several minutes, she turned her attention back to the desks. She wasn't interested in anything on Kraglin's desk. It was all work stuff. An open case with his disassembled blaster inside, several unopened packages of bullets, and his tablet. She stood up to get a better look at Tullk's desk. 

The framed photo showed Tullk standing next to another man and a kid, several years younger than Gamora. They looked happy. There was a strange blue statue of a woman in long flowing clothes, and a purple plant with curly leaves next to the photo. On the far side of the desk are three large books. Presumably, the only books on the ship. All three of the books are in a language Gamora doesn't understand, she spins the book around trying to determine how they're meant to be read. She was about to discard them when she noticed an intricate illustration. 

A girl is walking across a bridge in an upside-down forest, a small fuzzy animal with horns trails behind her. Giant shells filled the creek instead of stones. Gamora ran her hand along the soft paper, her fingers following the winding branches of a tree. She flipped through the pages and found another drawing. The girl was walking along the docks, a boy was holding a map up for her to see. Gamora sat down on the floor and kept skimming the book for pictures. She tried to imagine a story to connect the images together, a wonderful adventure. She must have sat there staring at the book for an hour. 

Gamora doesn't notice when Kraglin pulls back the curtain and sits up slowly. He tries to rub the sleep from his eyes, and yawns, before turning his attention to Gamora. "You're still here?"

She doesn't look up from the book. "Shh, I'm reading."

Kraglin chuckles and shakes his head, "You're reading it backward."

Her eyes light up, she held up the book for Kraglin to see. "You can read this? What does it say?"

"It's Scale'l'Ada. It's a popular Ovem Xandarian children's book." Kraglin snatched it out of her hands.

"Hey!"

"And I don't think this is yours." He flipped to the beginning of the book and showed her the inscription on the title page, before tossing it back to Gamora. Somebody else's name was scrawled inside the book with little hearts. "Put it back where ya found it."

"I wanna know what it says," She said sourly. Kraglin gives her a pointed look and she huffed irritably. She stood up slowly. She could see the photos taped to the wall again, they might be the only personal items inside Kraglin's cabin. "Who's in the photo?"

"Oh well this," He tapped his knuckles on the picture of the bar, "is none of your business and this is very personal." He tapped the other picture.

Gamora wrinkled her nose, "You're teasing me again."

"Yup, now beat it. Don't you have a shift with Jazinda on the Orlop deck?" He pushed her towards the door. She walks quickly. "And leave the book, Gamora!" 

"Boo!" She dropped the book on the desk, and disappeared through the door. He throws his pillow at her and it hits the closed door. 

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

The Orlop deck is the lowest level on the ship. There are no overhead lights, all the mechanics carried their own flashlights. Pipes and blocky machinery covered every surface. The pipes wove around and across each other spiraling up into the dark abyss that hung above them. Gamora clung to Jazinda's hand as they walked along the metal grated pathways that wove around the machines. Oblo walked in front of them, leading the way. There were no signs to tell them where they were. Gamora was certain that if she let go of Jazinda's hand she would be lost forever. "Ouch, not so tight, kiddo." Jazinda winced and squeezed Gamora's hand. 

"Sorry," She forced herself to loosen her grip. "I don't like the dark."

"You wanna hold the flashlight?" Jazinda smiled and offered it to Gamora. She took it gratefully. The flashlight danced along the web of pipes as they walked deeper into the Orlop deck. 

"Here, we are!" Oblo announced cheerfully. The temperature dropped by several degrees as they approached a huge machine. Strange tubes carrying a glowing blue liquid weave around the machine. The pretty light illuminated the area. "This is our reactor core." 

Jazinda set her toolbox down and walked around it. Gamora moves closer to the tubes. She could see liquid flowing through it, occasionally air bubbles would float up to the top and drift down the tube. It almost looked squishy. She reaches out to touch it. Someone slaps her hand away from the tube. She spins to see Horuz looming over her. Gamora unknowingly holds her breath, fear rooting her in place. "Don't touch," He states forcefully. 

Jazinda and Oblo are standing on the other side of the reactor, out of sight of Gamora. "You're not allowed to hit me," she said nervously, mustering up her best glare.

He glares back, "You shouldn't be touching the Core Shroud." Gamora clenched her fists at her sides. 

"Gamora, where'd you go?" Jazinda called out. 

Gamora kicked Horuz in the shin. He grunts in pain and tries to grab her. She dodged him nimbly, "I'm here!" She scurries to Jazinda's side.

Jazinda was standing in front of a terminal attached to the core. Gamora hid behind her, and shakes the sting out of her hand. Horuz snarls at her, and she sticks her tongue out at him. Jazinda raises a curious eyebrow at Gamora, and then follows her gaze to where Horuz is lurking. "Somethin' you wanna tell me?" Jazinda ventured.

Gamora shrugged hesitantly. If she tattles on Horuz, he would likely get her in trouble as well. "I uh… I hit my hand on the pipes." 

Jazinda looked skeptical. "Be more careful." She pressed a button on the terminal and a holographic screen popped up. "I wanna show you how to run diagnostics on the equipment, it's fairly easy." Gamora paid close attention to the buttons Jazinda presses, before a stream of information and numbers appear on the screen. She leans away from the terminal and stuffs her hands in her back pockets, "That's it. Now, we wait."

Gamora very quickly got bored of watching the numbers increase. She tugs on Jazinda's sleeve, "What do the glowy tubes do?"

"Hm? Oh, that's the Core Shroud, it's part of the cooling system. Core's tend to run hot, and if they get too hot they blow up," Jazinda explained casually. Gamora's eyes went wide, she took a cautious step away from the core. Jazinda chuckles, "Relax, if the core gets too hot it automatically shuts down, and the back-up generators turn on. Assuming this tin can has back-up generators," she mutters under her breath, before sighing irritably and changing the subject. "You ever want to blow up a ship you flip these two switches right here." Oblo winced as she tapped a red switch on the terminal with her finger. "This turns off the cooling system temporarily so the mechanics can do maintenance, and this one disables the security system." Gamora nodded gravely trying to commit the information to memory.

The terminal dinged to let them know it was done running diagnostics and they turned their attention back to the screen. Gamora stood on her tiptoes to point at it, "Jazinda, that number is yellow."

"Yeah, yellow's a bad color." She mutters before turning to face Oblo. "What type of cooling system is this? It looks like Northern Kree."

His arms are folded across his chest and he's leaning against the railing outside of the catwalk. He offers her half a shrug, "Uh, we stripped it off a Kree Tanker on the edge of Ubliex after the old one went bust."

"Shit, Kree cooling systems aren't built to handle a Xandarian core," Jazinda muttered and sighed, making a note on her transmitter. Oblo recognizes that her frustration wasn't directed at him and shrugs it off. "Alright, show me the fire system next. Horuz, be a sweetheart, and grab the toolbox for me." He blinked in surprise and shuffled into the light. "If you're going to follow us instead of doing your job, you should at least shelp." 

Oblo chuckled and waved for them to follow. Horuz reluctantly picked up the toolbox and trailed after them. They continued their tour through the underbelly of the ship. Gamora found herself clinging to Jazinda again as they walked along the darkened paths. They reached yet another blocky machine with strange glowing lights and ominous hissing pipes. Gamora never imagined that being a mechanic would involve this much walking. Jazinda lifted her up so she could see over the terminal, and let Gamora run diagnostics this time. Three numbers came up red. 

Jazinda circles the machine twice before removing one of the outer metal panels and peering inside. Gamora held the flashlight for her, while Horuz and Oblo stood out of the way. Oblo scoffs and shakes his head, "The fire detection system has been on the fritz for years. I can't figure out what's wrong with the damn thing." 

"Prob'ly getting too old," Horuz grumbled.

"Nah, this is a Badoon tech, it's built to last," Jazinda says dismissively.

"What about the power supply?"

"Checked it."

"Or the signal relay? We had to repair that recently."

"It's working fine," Jazinda throws Oblo a glance, "Nice patch by the way." He bites back a grin. She wiped her hands on her jeans and slowly sat up. "My best guess is there's something wrong with the individual sensors and not the whole system." 

Horuz furrowed his brow, "You missed something. Let me look–"

Jazinda replaced the panel with a heavy clang. She stood up so she was staring down at Horuz, "I'm well aware that you're a capable mechanic and that Udonta didn't just hire you for your tight ass. You don't have to prove anything to me," She said.

Oblo snorted as Horuz glared her down. "You're misunderstanding me intentionally!"

"Am I? Huh," Jazinda said, before turning to face Oblo. "Anyway, I'll add that to the to-do list. Where's life support?"

Oblo gestures with his thumb, "This way." 

They walked away from Horuz. He throws his hands up, "You're unbelievable!" Gamora stuck her tongue out at Horuz as they left him behind.

Jazinda ran diagnostics again and then inspected the machine. Gamora had grown bored of helping and had taken to laying on the floor and waving the flashlight around. "Y'know we need to replace the air filters too," Oblo says casually. "I kept askin' Udonta but he won't replace them until they break."

"Shit, I swear this ship is held together by chewing gum and packing tape," Jazinda sighed irritably. She reaches out and grabs Gamora's flashlight, aiming it towards what she was working on. Gamora blows a raspberry in protest but keeps the flashlight still. "Can you check the carbon monoxide levels?"

"Sure," Oblo drifted over to the terminal. 

Gamora started thinking about the children's book and the pictures that Kraglin didn't want to talk about. "Oblo, what's Ta-tebulu Rust?"

"Where–" He jerked around to look at Gamora in surprise and accidentally hit his head. He winced, "Where did you hear that?"

"Uh," Gamora shrugged. _If you're going to lie, do it confidently–_ "I heard Kraglin say it."

"You did not." Oblo scoffed at her and narrowed his eyes. "Ya read it somewhere?" 

Gamora narrowed her eyes too, "Maybe."

"Lie better, munchkin," He replied.

Gamora furrowed her brow. She didn't know that she was going to whine until she opens her mouth, "Can't you just tell me what it means?"

Oblo cracked a smile, "You ask Kraglin?"

"He–he said to ask you," She said uncertainly. He levels another skeptical look at her. "Please, Oblo, I'll keep it a secret."

"Gamora, you shouldn't pry into people's personal lives," Jazinda scolded her.

"Jazzy will keep it a secret too!" Gamora yelled.

Oblo chuckled under his breath and turned back towards the terminal. "A close translation might be Blank Slate." 

Her eyes light up, "Who were the kids in the photo?"

"Gamora," Jazinda gives her a judgemental look.

"I'm bored! This is taking too long!" She groaned and waved the flashlight in a large arc. "Kraglin says I'm not allowed to work more than 4 hours."

Jazinda chuckled, "It's only been 3."

"But this is boring!" She groaned. "When I work in the galley, Angler lets me taste test the pastries for poison."

"Why would Angler poison the food he's making?" Jazinda chokes down a laugh.

"I dunno! But the food is yummy," Gamora said defensively. She made the flashlight dance along the walls again, trying to draw little shapes with the light. "I'm bored!" She yells to hear her voice echo back at her.

"Alright, alright," Jazinda says with a flippant wave of her hand. "Why don't you go grab us some coffee from the galley or something?"

Gamora got off the floor, "How do I get back to the Mess?"

"There's little reflectors inside the grates on the floor." Oblo pointed down one path, "The blue reflectors lead back to the Mess." 

Gamora pointed the flashlight at the ground and the reflectors lit up. "Thank you!" Oblo waved her off. Gamora walks along the path until she can't hear their voices anymore. She starts to walk faster. The seemingly endless darkness completely surrounded her. She felt like something was watching her. There could be horrible monsters lurking behind her, getting closer and closer with each step. She turned slowly, shining the flashlight around the area. Whatever monsters that were there, darted away from the light. A chill runs up her spine. She was all alone, Kraglin and Jazinda weren't around to protect her, even Yondu was far away. There's a loud mechanical Clank. Gamora bolted. Her heart pounds in her chest she can barely see the reflectors. She doesn't stop running until the door to the Mess closed behind her. "Take that monsters!" She yelled and tried to kick the door. It sensed the motion and opened again. Gamora shrieks and darts further into the Mess.

Tullk, Brahl, and the Gunner we're standing around the coffee machine. Tullk raised his eyebrows at her. "Everything alright, lamb?"

"It was dark! There were monsters and they were chasing me! And I need coffee!" She yelled dramatically while pointing at the door.

"I do not think you do." Brahl moved to block the coffee machine. 

Tullk looked increasingly concerned, "Who's lettin' the wean drink coffee?" The gunner shrugs back at him.

"No, the coffee is for Jazzy, and Oblo," Gamora said with a huff. "I'm working." She takes two deep breaths and turns off the flashlight.

Brahl relaxed and stepped aside so Gamora could walk up to the machine. Gamora had never used it before but had seen the Grown-ups use it enough to feel confident in her abilities. Tullk grabbed two cups off the stack and started to pour coffee out of the pot. "No, I wanna do it! I can do it!" Tullk poured the coffee back into the pot. Gamora had to stand on her tiptoes to see over the counter. She picked up the pot and carefully poured coffee into the cup.

"You gonna be alright walking back, wee lamb?" Tullk asked. 

Gamora thought about the long dark hallways and how dark the Orlop deck is. She knew Tullk was one of Kraglin's friends. Unlike Horuz or Gef, he had never threatened to hit her for being too noisy or playing where she shouldn't. He probably wouldn't make fun of her for being frightened. "Could… could you walk with me?"

Tullk nodded and picked up the coffee. They walked towards the exit. When they got to the door Gamora grabbed onto Tullk's sleeve and stepped out into the hallway cautiously. She stayed close to him as they made the trek into the underbelly of the ship. Gamora used the flashlight to chase away any shadows that looked suspiciously monster shaped. 

She knew it was going to be boring holding the flashlight while Jazinda worked. Most of her time on the Eclector felt very dull. There were no other children to play with, and there was nowhere to play. Every time she complained about it someone would make her do more chores. She thought about the books she found. "Hey, Tullk?"

"Mm?"

"Can I have that kid's book in your cabin?" She asked.

Tullk stopped walking. His expression twisted into something resembling a glare, "Ye went through me things?"

Gamora let go of his jacket and stepped back. "Was I not supposed to? I didn't take anything."

Tullk exhales through his teeth, "If isn't yours don't touch it!"

"I'm sorry."

He sighs heavily, "I didn't mean tae yell." His shoulders slumped slightly, he walks a few steps and then glances back. Gamora hesitated, "Keep up, runt." She lags behind him. They walked in silence for a few more minutes. Gamora resisted the urge to cling to him, in case he was still angry. "I can't give you a good smack even if I wanted to. 'M carryin' the drinks remember."

Gamora was surprised that he noticed her sulking. She was used to being ignored. "You're not mad at me then?"

"Didn't say that. Said I couldn't smack ye," He replied wearily. Gamora frowned and hung her head. Tullk's gaze is transfixed ahead of them, but his mind is elsewhere. "That book. Scale'l'Ada. It was me Naan's."

"Is she your daughter?" Gamora asked.

Tullk winced slightly, "Aye, she was. I can't let ye have that book." Gamora sighed, she was disappointed but she couldn't be mad at Tullk. "But… if ye promise tae take good care of it, you could borrow it sometime."

Gamora yanked on his jacket gleefully and cheered, "Thank you! I'll take really good care of it!"

"Careful!" Some of the coffee sloshed over the side of the cup and Tullk tried to steady them. Gamora apologizes again but he seemed to brush it off with a smile. "You'll need someone tae translate the book. It's in the old tongue."

Gamora furrowed her eyebrows as she thought, "Kraglin could read it to me."

Tullk shrugged, "If ye can convince 'im. The Captain speaks the old language too." They rounded a corner and returned to the area where Jazinda and Oblo were working.

"Oi, old man! What the hell're ya doin' way down here?" Oblo jeered cheerfully at Tullk. 

"I'd be up on the bridge but ye let the wean wander around in the black by herself!" Tullk barked in reply.

Jazinda took one of the coffees from Tullk, "Sorry for the trouble, she get lost again?"

He shook his head, "Wee lamb is frightened of the black. She's sensitive."

Oblo blew a raspberry, "Please, I saw the little brat pickin' a fight with Horuz earlier. She can handle herself."

"Was she now?" Jazinda said with a hint of amusement.

"He started it!" Gamora said indignantly. "He's so mean to me for no reason!"

Jazinda touched her shoulder lightly and chuckled, "You're not in trouble." She steered Gamora back towards the machines and they left Oblo and Tullk to talk amongst themselves.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

"Okay, goodnight donut head." Kraglin set Gamora down outside her cabin and turned to leave.

"Wait, you can't go yet!" She yells and grabs onto his sleeve. "I wanna show you something!" Before he can decline, Gamora pulls him into her cabin.

Gamora was sharing a cabin with Hazira. The tailor had decorated her bunk with all kinds of plants and hanging charms. She had even replaced the curtain that hung outside her bed with an ornate tapestry. Gamora's bunk was bare in comparison. Her only personal items are the heat lamp (clipped to the metal frame of the bunk) and her toy robot.

Gamora quickly shifts through her storage unit, "Tullk gave this to me!" She pulls out a thick leather-bound book. She carefully flips through the pages before holding it up for him to see. "Can you read it?"

Kraglin sighs a little and takes the book from her. "Yeah, I know Ovem. Tullk really let you keep this?" He looks at her skeptically.

"He said I could borrow it as long as I was careful." Gamora tucks herself into bed and looks up at Kraglin with big round eyes. She waits expectantly.

Kraglin scoffs and rolls his eyes. "You been spendin' too much time with Jazinda. I ain't gonna read this to you."

"You don't have to read the whole thing if you don't want to." Gamora scoots over to the point to the picture, "I just wanna know what this page says. I'll do all my work without whining! And I won't bother you at all!"

"Ya shouldn't be doin' those things anyway." He remarked dryly.

She puffed her cheeks out in a pout. "Please, Kraglin! I'll be a really good girl. I'll never ask you for anything ever again!"

Kraglin shifted his weight and considered it, "Just this one page?" Gamora nods enthusiastically and he sighs. "If it means that much ta you, I guess…"

He sits down on the bed. "Thank you!" She chirped. He doesn't protest when she snuggles up against him so she can see the pictures better. One page turned into two and then into five and before he knew it he was reading the entire chapter to Gamora. She fell asleep with her head resting on his shoulder. Kraglin sighed and closed the book, before tucking her in for the night.


	14. Cry Little Sister

The ritual for bedtime aboard Sanctuary II was chaotic, to say the least. Everyone was expected to have brushed their teeth and be in bed within the hour. The elder children were left to herd the younger ones towards bed, and arguments often broke out between them as they were all expected to share the 3 bathrooms on the quarterdeck. Thanos enforces a strict curfew and a member of the Black Order would patrol the hallways on the off chance someone would be awake.

Peter held the 'Door Close' button, as he brushed his teeth. On the other side of the door, Nebula punched the Open button repeatedly. "Peter! You've been in there for 15 minutes!"

"What's taking so long!" Allace groused from her spot in line. 

"He's probably brushing his stupid hair again," Nebula slammed her fist on the door. Peter banged on the door in response since he could not yell at her. Nebula tried to stick her fingers in the crack in the door and pry it open. The muscles in her shoulder strain against the door, there's a faint pop in her cybernetic arm. She throws a glare in Allace's direction. "Don't just stand there! Help me!"

Allace makes a face at the idea of physical exertion. "We need leverage. Hang on." She hurried down the hallway to the closet and grabbed a long screwdriver. She jammed the flat pointed end into the gap on the door as far as it would go. "Alright, push on that."

Nebula threw her weight against the end of the screwdriver. The door groans in protest and then slowly begins to slide open. "Ah! Your dumb idea is actually working!"

"Dumb–This is basic physics, Neb!" Allace said indignantly. "This is why you're failing science!"

Nebula forced the doors completely open. Peter threw empty paper cups at Nebula's head. It did little to prevent the girls from storming the bathroom and throwing him out. Peter stamped his foot in frustration and bit down on his toothbrush. He shoved Allace out of the way so he could spit into the sink. "How are you not done brushing your teeth? You've been in here forever!" Nebula snapped. 

"Nebula, there's more than enough room in the bathroom for you and Peter to brush your teeth." Kekallie chided her from the hallway. Nexus and Photon are clinging to her arms like Kekallie was a jungle gym. She was carrying their newest and youngest brother, Umi, on her hip.

"Thamphs wha'I 'old 'im!" Nebula gestures at Peter. 

He rolled his eyes, wipes his mouth, and returned his toothbrush to its place in the cabinet. He signed back, "I was washing my hair."

Nebula spits in the sink and rolled her eyes, "Toldja so," she said to Allace. Her sister giggled, and pulled out the metal ornaments that held her tendrils in place.

"Keeping it this nice isn't easy!" He signed aggressively before pointing to his hair. "I have to wash it and brush it and cut it myself."

"I could make it easier," Nebula pulled the electric hair cutter out of the drawer and flipped it on.

Peter's eyes widened. He backed out of the bathroom and grabbed onto Kekallie's sleeve. She didn't wait for Peter to finish signing before she yelled, "Nebula, stop bullying your brother!"

"I wasn't even doing anything!" She yelled back.

Kekallie handed Umi off to Peter, "Keep him entertained for a minute, will you?" Peter nodded. Kekallie grabbed Nexus and tossed him over her shoulder and then pushed Photon towards the bathroom. "He's not talking but I taught him a few signs."

Umi couldn't have been more than two years old. He was fat the way a baby should be, and he had warm round eyes. Two little antlers sprouted out of his dark curly mop of hair. He reached after Kekallie as she carried Nexus off towards his cabin, and whimpers. "She'll be back soon," Peter signed slowly.

"Want." Umi signed back and whimpered again. He sniffled and rubbed his eyes. Peter shook his head and tried to hush him, but Umi started to cry anyway.

Peter panicked and hurried towards Voros. He was helping Lexifer put on his PJs. "He likes it when you rock him," Voros advised with an apologetic smile. "I'll take Umi off your hands in a minute. Lex, you're done. Go brush your teeth." He ruffled Lexifer's hair and their younger sibling scurried off. Voros turned his attention towards Miertra who had been patiently waiting his turn. Voros helped him do the buttons on his shirt. "Have you seen Heather around? She always disappears right before dinner." 

"Kekallie said Heather's dangerous and that we should stay away from her." Miertra recited back to Voros.

"I know what she thinks," Voros muttered, "I only hope Heather is brushing her teeth." Peter tries to shrug indifferently. He swallowed hard under the weight of Voros' inquiring look.

"She killed my best friend. I hope she stays gone," Miertra murmured. 

Voros did the last button on Miertra's nightshirt, and then gently grabbed his hand. Voros rubs his calloused thumb across Miertra's knuckles affectionately. "Would you like a hug?" Miertra shrugs, glances over at Peter, then shakes his head. "Please finish getting ready for bed then."

Photon yelled across the halls, "Voros! Edbe pushed me!" 

"You stole my jewelry!" 

Voros sighed and moved to separate them before a fight broke out, leaving Peter alone with Umi. Peter moved to the side of the hallway, out of the chaos, and rocked Umi gently. He calmed down a little and started to wave his chubby arms about. "You like dancing?" Peter signed. He waltzed around the small empty space in the hallway. Umi giggled and cooed happily.

"Love you. Love you." Uni signed back before waving his hands around. Peter didn't know if he really meant that or if Umi was just happy, but Peter was pleased anyway.

Voros pushed his way through the crowd and then took Umi off Peter's hands. "Sorry about that." Peter shrugged and shook his head in response. Voros yelled over the crowd, "Kallie I got 'im." 

Kekallie flashed Voros a thumbs up and a lopsided smile as she hoisted Lexifer up onto her shoulders. She calls out across the hallway, "Alright, I got one strawberry milk, two chocolate milks. Did anyone else want milk before bed?" Half a dozen more hands shot up, including Peter's. "Okay," she sighed.

Voros pushed his way over to Kekallie. "They're gonna have to brush their teeth again," He remarked dryly. 

"You tell the murder toddlers they can't have warm milk then." She muttered through a bright smile. Lexifer, Nexus, and Edbe pulled out their knives for effect.

Voros' expression soured as Kekallie raised her eyebrows. "Alright, point made," he grumbled before raising his voice, "But nobody tells dad about this!" The kids promised and giggled. 

One of the Aprons brought up a cart with milk for everyone, and the children stood around, drinking their milk and chatting. They were putting off their bedtime for as long as they could. Kekallie checked the time on her transmitter, and then clapped her hands to get their attention. "Last call for milk, and then it's bedtime." Several of the kids booed and complained, begging for a few more minutes. 

Peter grabbed another mug of warm milk and quietly slipped away from the crowd and into his cabin. Heather was bundled up in her blankets with a book open on her lap. She looked up as he entered. He smiled and held up the milk for her to see. She closed her book, "Is that for me?" Peter nodded. She took the mug and sipped it carefully. "Remember to lock the door."

Peter waved her off and quickly locked the door again. He took off his holster, removing the blaster and the extra magazine before leaving it on the coat rack by the door. He flopped down onto the foot of the bed and began methodically filling the extra magazine with bullets. He waves the magazine at the mug before signing, "Kekallie got some for everyone." 

Heather abruptly set the mug down on Peter's bedside table, causing several stray bullets to fall to the floor. "That was nice of her," She muttered before opening her book again.

Peter moved to ask her what she was reading when someone knocked at the door. Heather jumped. She curled into a ball, pulling the blankets up towards her eyes. Peter set the magazine down and stepped out of his cabin. Voros looked down at him curiously, Peter made sure the door to his cabin closed behind him. "Are you going to bed?" Peter nodded. "You just ran off without saying good night again." Peter shrugged and dropped his gaze to the ground. He wanted Voros to tuck him in like always but he couldn't risk Heather's safety. Voros suddenly grabbed Peter's shoulders. His eyes turned deadly serious. "Is there something you need to tell me?" His voice is a harsh whisper that only Peter could hear.

"I toldja he was getting too old. He doesn't want to be tucked in anymore," Kekallie said in a disarming tone of voice. Voros let go of Peter. His casual smile returning as if nothing had happened at all. Peter lets out a breath.

Voros sighed and nodded, "Maybe you can help tuck in some of your siblings tomorrow night, since you're all grown-up now?" Peter nodded again and couldn't resist a small smile. He stood up a little taller too.

"I'm all grown-up too! I don't have to be tucked in anymore!" Nebula suddenly announced. "I don't need any of this stupid baby stuff."

Kekallie put one hand on her hip. "Since you're all grown-up, I guess you don't need any more chocolate milk then." She plucked the mug out of Nebula's hands. 

Nebula scrunched up her face in a pout. "Wait, no! I um–" Kekallie raised an eyebrow. Nebula lowered her voice, "Maybe I'm not all grown-up…" 

Peter tackled Voros in a hug. He looked a little surprised but then hugged Peter back. "Good night," Peter signed slowly.

"Good night, Peter," Voros replied.

Peter slipped back into his cabin. Heather lowered the blankets from around her eyes and sighed with relief. "Don't forget to–" Peter locked the door.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

Heather shakes Peter awake in the middle of the night. "Peter, " He jumps, snatching his gun off the bedside table, his eyes scanning the cabin for any sign of danger. "They're coming, " Heather is staring at the door. The lock on the door glowed a vibrant red. Locked. Peter quietly untangles himself from the blankets and crawls out of bed. There's a mechanical clicking coming from inside the door. The lock flickered. Peter stood with his back pressed against the wall. There's a sharp pop, and the lock turns green. Peter holds his breath. The door slides open, there's nothing but darkness beyond. He raises the gun and slowly inched forward. "Don't leave me alone, " Heather calls out into the darkness. He glances over his shoulder. He can barely see her sitting on his bed. 

Crack.

Something heavy and metal slammed against the back of his skull. Stars cloud his vision and he sways on his feet. He tries to turn to look at his attacker but they grab Peter by the collar and threw him from the room. "Peter!" Heather screamed. He tumbles across the hallway. He crashed into a shelf and something soft fell on his head. Towels. He was inside a closet. 

A shadow figure appears in the doorway, holding a short staff at their side. "Stay out of the way. I don't want to hurt you."

Peter felt like his heart stopped. "Kekallie?" His voice was hoarse and scratchy from weeks of disuse. Her name butchered by his partially healed tongue.

"It's for your own good." She closed the door trapping him inside.

He scrambled to his feet, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his head. He jammed his fingers into the crack in the door and pulled. His fingers strain against the heavy steel door. It wouldn't budge. He's twice as dizzy as when he started. He heard Heather scream. He tugged on the door frantically.

He was trapped on the sidelines again.

Just like with Cauda. 

Just like with his mother. Even when he had the ability to prevent what is happening, there was nothing he could do. He banged his fist on the door futilely. Someone had to hear him. Someone had to know he was here. Tears sting his eyes, he grits his teeth, and yanks on the door one last time. He throws all his weight into the motion. 

The door slides open. He gasped, lost his balance, and fell backward. Light spills from the doorway and fills the closet. Peter blinks his eyes rapidly as they quickly adjust to the light, a blurry figure stands in the doorway. Ebony Maw stares down at him. "Good, you're still conscious." Peter's blood ran cold. He scrambled backward trying to get as far away as he could. His mouth opened but no sound came out. Ebony tilted his head to the side. "What's wrong, cat got your tongue?" 

Peter bared his teeth and wheezed slightly. He signs with shaking hands, "Why?"

"Your part is not yet finished. Enough nonsense. Up, boy." Ebony makes a gesture with his hand. Peter's body moved on its own. He rose to his feet and walked out of the closet. "Don't look so surprised. Heather's telekinetic abilities are child's play compared to what a master can do." Ebony drew a circle with his finger and Peter turned to face the door to the stairwell. "They went that way." Peter suddenly regained control of his own body, and an invisible force shoved him forward. He stumbled, threw a suspicious glance back at Ebony before sprinting down the hallway. 

He knew Ebony had to have an alternative motive, but Peter didn't have to think about it. He passed through the door and leaned over the railing to stare up. Heather and Kekallie were moving fast. Heather had managed to keep some distance between them, but Kekallie was catching up. Peter climbed over the railing. He stuffed his blaster into his waistband and used Nebula's trick to climb the stairs quickly. He got ahead of Heather quickly and climbed back over the railing. He drew his blaster and kept it lowered. He didn't want to hurt Kekallie if he didn't have to, maybe she could be reasoned with. She said she didn't want to hurt him.

A look of relief spread across Heather's face when she saw him. "Peter!" She raced up the stairs and darted behind him. "You're okay! She said–she said–"

"I told you to stay out of this, Peter," Kekallie sounded as if she was scolding him for taking too many bread rolls at dinner. She stalked towards them. Peter had seen Kekallie fight with her metal staff before. There was a rope noose at the end of her staff that she could shorten or loosen as she pleased. She was fast and far stronger than even Nebula. Peter had to keep Kekallie at a distance. "Move."

He takes one hand off his gun to sign, "You haven't done anything yet. Stop this."

Her staff hit the edge of each step as she came closer. She shakes her head, "Move, Peter. I don't want to hurt you. I only need her."

Peter tightened his grip on his blaster. He signs faster, "You don't have to do this. We can go back to bed."

Kekallie's eye twitched. A crack in her mask of neutrality. "If I don't do this, how long until someone else dies at her hands?" 

Behind him, Peter heard Heather inhale sharply. She reaches out and grabs onto the back of Peter's shirt. "It was an accident," she whispers.

"I'm sure the next one will be an accident too." Her staff taps against the stairs, "And the one after that," Clink, "And the one after that." Clink. 

Peter raised his gun in an attempt to keep her from coming any closer. "No! I didn't want to kill anybody!" Heather insisted, Peter could hear the waver in her voice. "Ebony is going to help me control it." Peter slowly cocked his blaster. He hoped Kekallie couldn't see his hands shaking.

Kekallie lunges at him. Peter scrambles to get away as she slashes at him. Her staff grazes his neck. He shoots twice. Kekallie jumps to the side of the hallway. One bullet goes clean through her thigh the other only grazes her. She sighs as the wounds begin to close up. Peter's eyes grow wide. Heather races up the stairs. It only slows Kekallie down for a second. Her staff cracks against his chest. The air is pulled from his lungs. He stumbles back and she snags his foot with the noose. His foot is pulled out from under him. Peter hits the back of his head against the stairs. He moves out of the way just as she drives her staff down. It scratches the skin above his eyebrow. Blood spills into his left eye blinding him. Kekallie is unrelenting. Peter tries to raise his gun but her staff slams down on his wrist. The gun falls from his hand. Peter struggles to move away from her. She presses her staff against his chest. She's crushing his ribcage. He can't move. 

Kekallie warns him coldly, "Stay down."

"No, no, leave him alone!" Heather yells from above them.

Kekallie looks up at Heather. For just a moment, Her expression softens. She looks more like the older sister that cared for him and protected him. His chest hurts. "I'll make it quick so she won't have to suffer anymore." Kekallie removes her staff and steps over Peter.

Peter grit his teeth and rolled over to get his hands under him. Kekallie chased Heather up the stairs. They would be on top of each other in a moment. If Heather refused to use her abilities, she wouldn't stand a chance. Proxima's voice echoed in his mind, use every tool at your disposal when fighting an opponent that outclasses you. Peter grabbed his gun and aimed it at the light above Kekallie. 

The glass shatters. It rains down on Kekallie forcing her to jump back. The glass shards are impossible to completely avoid. They cut her skin in a dozen places. Peter shatters the next light. It forced her away from Heather. "Peter," Kekallie growled. "How many more of our siblings will you watch die because you keep protecting her?" 

"You can't do this. There has to be a better solution," Peter signed. He gets halfway through finger-spelling Ebony's name and Kekallie rolls her eyes.

"He doesn't want to help her, he wants to control her," Kekallie shouted. Peter swallowed hard and aimed his gun at her knee. "It won't just be our siblings who will die. I've seen it before, Peter. The kind of power she wields, Thanos will use it to level cities. Millions of lives will be destroyed. Please, stand down."

Peter tried to squeeze the trigger, but he suddenly couldn't move. Against his will, Peter lowered the gun casually and dropped it to the floor. His eyes widened in panic. He wanted to scream. This had to be Ebony. "Peter?" He heard Heather's heart breaking just above him. He couldn't even turn his head to look at her. 

Kekallie nodded, she couldn't see his panic at this distance. "I'm sorry." She mutters before turning and racing up the steps.

Heather's grip on the railing tightens until her knuckles turn white. "Peter, please!" She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to believe what her eyes were seeing. Ebony had been right. He was always right. Heather never should have doubted him. She feels energy swell up within her chest. Peter truly hated her like all the others.

In a split second, Kekallie's noose fell around Heather's neck. It tightened around her throat, rubbing her skin raw. She claws at it desperately trying to loosen it to no avail. Her knees give out. "No more running," Kekallie says soothingly. She drags Heather towards her death. The noose squeezed tighter. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't scream. She was going to die. The energy exploded out of her body. 

Kekallie is thrown backward. 

Peter watched Kekallie's body slam against the far wall. The metal bulkhead bends inward on impact. She slid down the wall landing in a crumpled heap on the floor. Her limbs were twisted and bent in the wrong direction. A pool of blood flows out of the corpse and spills down the steps. Heather gasped and frantically loosened the noose around her neck. She hadn't realized what she had done yet. Peter closed his eyes and tried to keep his breathing steady. He still couldn't move.

The door to the 4th level slid open. Ebony Maw stepped through the threshold with two Aprons in tow. Heather threw the noose aside and raced down the steps to tackle him in a hug. "Ebony!" She wailed. Heather clung to his robe and sobbed. 

"Now, now, my dear." He rested his hands on her shoulders gently. "You did very well. I told you there was nothing to be frightened of." He ushered her towards the door. 

"Peter was gonna let–he was gonna let her–" Heather stammers between broken sobs. 

Ebony consoles her gently, "Didn't I tell you as much, my dear?" Ebony throws Peter a passing glance. With a wave of his hand, Peter suddenly had control of his own body again. He crumpled to his knees and took several deep shuddering breaths. He didn't even have time to explain what had happened. The door closed behind them, and Heather was gone. Peter had lost not one sister, but two.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all ever think about how in these movies cold open with Peter's momma dying of cancer and in the comics the cancerverse kills Peter and Richard? No? Just me okay. Anyway, updates might be more sporadic since the semester is starting :') 
> 
> And Hey, Thanks


	15. Don't be Afraid

The hull of the ship groaned as they broke free of the Shi'ar planet's atmosphere. A swarm of military ships chased after them.

Jazinda stalked up through the winding corridors leading to the bridge. Everyone was buckled into their stations. Yondu and Kraglin's console displayed live footage of the ship's hull along with a stream of information about the ship. "What in the stars–"Kraglin started to say but then stopped himself, "Wait, donut head's not here–What the fucking shit are you doing?!"

Yondu twisted around in his station and muttered a curse under his breath as he saw Jazinda stalking towards them. "We're pulling 6 gs! Sit your ass down!"

She ignored them and opened a stream of information on her transmitter. "The core is hitting critical levels again." 

Yondu rolls his eyes and blows a raspberry. "It ain't never shut down before, I reckon it ain't gonna shut down now." The ship swerved to the left and the hull groaned in protest.

"You don't know that! This is a gamble," she insisted.

Kraglin yelled across the bridge, "We're taking heavy fire on the port side!"

"Get the blast shields up!" Yondu barked the orders, "Have the gunner open fire."

"Aye, sir." He turned and spoke into his transmitter while pressing a few buttons on his console. "Moyra, ya got eyes on them?"

"Aye," Moyra hummed from her station in the cockpit. "Permission to open fire?" 

"Granted," Kraglin replied. She whooped in delight causing Kraglin to wince and pull the transmitter away from his ear. Jazinda watched the laser cannons blast the enemy ships to pieces. 

"Blast shields are up," Kraglin announced.

The second mate signed in the creole language used by shapeshifters, "Destroyer off the stern. Orders?"

Yondu rubbed his chin and glared at the footage. "What model is it?"

"Uh," Kraglin and the second mate share a look of panic and confusion.

Jazinda cuts in, "It's a 3rd gen Class S, Shi'ar Destroyer. What it lacks in speed it makes up for in power. The double bow chasers are built for long ranged attacks, I'd advise falling alongside it if possible." Yondu nodded his head in response.

"For a dirty jackboot, ya sure are lousy at following the chain a' command," Kraglin grumbled, "Is that why they got sick a' you?"

She rolled her eyes, "I was court martialed for insubordination, station rat."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Yondu comments dryly. Jazinda glares at him. He ignored her and spoke into his transmitter, "Gun it. Destroyer with a chaser gun on our stern, don't get in front of it, if ya can."

"Aye, aye," Tullk replied.

"You're gonna wanna sit down," Kraglin insisted, but Jazinda only folded her arms across her chest. 

"There's nowhere for me to sit," She replied. The third mate's station was in a separate room where she could monitor the security footage.

The Eclector lurched forward and banks to the left. The hull screams in protest. Items not nailed down slide across the deck and slammed into the far wall. Jazinda swayed with the ship. "Starboard blast shields are down!" Kraglin announced. It was difficult to even lift his hand to press the buttons on his console now. The sound of gunfire scorching the hull was like distant rain echoing through the bones of the ship. 

All the bells and whistles go off on Jazinda's transmitter, "If you keep pushing her like this, we will be dead in the water!"

Yondu snarls and turns away from her. "Fuck. Drop the blast shields! Tullk get us to the jump point now!" He points at the second mate, "Get ready to close the jump point behind us!"

There was a choir of Aye's as his men jumped to follow his orders. Jazinda's transmitter went silent as the core's temperature fell by several degrees. A new alarm went off on Kraglin's console as the hull took damage. Tullk's voice echoed over all of their transmitters, "Brace yourself, mates. Here comes some Gs." A bone-crushing 11 Gs slammed down on them. Yondu gripped the armrests on his station so he could endure the stress. Kraglin couldn't move at all under the force pinning him to his station. It's a fight to maintain consciousness. 

Jazinda cracks her neck. She shifts into a woman bigger than herself, with skin that glitters as if it was made of pure crystal. One hand braces against Yondu's console. She stays standing. "Show off," Kraglin murmured.

The Eclector rocked through the jump point. Two Shi'ar fighters zip through alongside the Eclector. They blast the weakened starboard hull. The second mate slammed the button on his console and the jump point closed. Three fighters get caught halfway between space and time and are cut clean in half. The gunner grits her teeth, straining under the pressure. She aimed the ship's laser cannons. In a burst of light and smoke, the enemy ships are blasted to pieces. Tullk slowly eases off the helm and they slowed to a crawl. The pressure all but vanished. 

Moyra whooped and cheered from her station, Jazinda could hear Tullk laughing as well. The mood on the bridge was less celebratory. "See nothin' happened," Yondu told Jazinda smugly.

Jazinda pointed an accusing finger at his chest. "You need to replace the cooling system before it gets us killed."

"If it ain't broke, I ain't payin' for a replacement," Yondu snapped back at her. "Where'd'ya get off, tellin' me what ta do?"

"As your head of security, you pay me to inform you when there is an unnecessary risk to the health and safety of your crew. When the cooling system fails it will leave us sitting ducks in the middle of a battle." She says with all the authority and stiff formality of a military officer.

"As your Captain, I'm electing to ignore your stupid ass advice. The cooling system has never failed before," He growls back. Jazinda leaned forward, placing both hands on his console. 

Her expression twists into a snarl. "It only needs to fail once."

Yondu looked like he had more to say but Kraglin cleared his throat. In a disarming tone of voice, he asks, "Uh Cap'n, what's our heading?"

Yondu tears his gaze away from Jazinda, to look at the holographic screen. "Coordinates 22-B53," He grumbled. 

At some point during their argument, Kraglin had silenced all the alarms on his console and assessed the condition of the ship. He continued speaking calmly, "We've taken a lot of damage. The hull is compromised on the starboard side and we've lost 6 laser cannons. Should I tell the second mate to plot a course to the nearest port?"

Yondu felt his rage quietly sizzling out. Kraglin often had that effect on him. Yondu sighed, and tried to ignore his irritating third mate, "I think that'd be wise, Krags." He nodded, before passing the information along to the second mate. 

Jazinda watched them pull up the star charts for this sector. She leaned away from Yondu, losing interest in their argument for the moment. "Where'd you get the tech to close Jump Points?"

"Stripped it off a Union Jumper a couple years back. Been pretty useful," Kraglin explains casually before throwing her a curious glance. "Who's face is that?"

Jazinda shrugged, returning to her original form, "Ex-girlfriend's." She points at Yondu again, "You're using all that Shi'ar gold you stole to buy a new cooling system."

"That gold is paying for your shore leave. "Shut the fuck up about the cooling system." He grumbles back.

Seeing that Yondu was being as stubborn as always, Jazinda rolled her eyes and left the bridge anyway. Yondu made a mental note to add an extra station for Jazinda to the bridge. That way she wouldn't have an excuse to do something as reckless and stupid as trying to stay standing under 11 Gs of pressure.

They docked the Eclector on a sparsely populated planet on the border of the Xandarian and the Badoon empire. It was called Ark'eos 15. The planet ran on Imperial Badoon Standard time, which put the whole planet a measly 3 hours behind the Eclector. 

The moment Gamora stepped out of the airlock she's hit with an icy blast of air. Her jacket puts up little resistance as the wind blows through her. She shivers. Her breath condensed into a small cloud. Gamora pulls her ravager jacket snuggly around herself and pops the collar attempting to protect her ears from the biting cold. The landscape in front of her is covered with a thick layer of white mysterious powder. Gamora had never seen anything like it before. It sparkles in the limited sunlight.

She walks to the end of the gangplank staring at the powder intensely. It reminds her of the white sand dunes from her homeworld. The sand was always soft and warm to the touch, so it made sense in her mind that the strange white powder would be warm as well. Gamora stuck her hands into the powder. "No, don't!" Brahl calls out a moment too late.

"It's cold!" Gamora shrieked and scurried back up the ramp. She runs directly into Yondu.

"Take it easy," Yondu steadies Gamora, "What's the rush?" He glances in the doctor's direction.

Brahl clenched his jaw. Gamora can't tell if he was glaring at her or if that's just what their face looked like. Hazira laughed and said, "Kid genius over there stuck her hands in the snow." 

Gamora tries to muster up a scowl but feels her face grow warm with embarrassment. She tries to hide inside her jacket. Yondu narrows his eyes at her, "Where are your gloves?"

Gamora shrugs sheepishly. In a small voice, she says, "I only have what you gave me." 

He looks back at Hazira, "Ya think you can whip her up something?"

Hazira waves three of her gloved hands out, open-palmed, "Sorry hon, I'm off duty." Yondu's expression hardens into a glare and the tailor continues, "Even if I wasn't, I'm not sure if I'd have enough material to make new winter gloves. It's been a long time since any of you men brought me any animal pelts."

"Fine, " Yondu grumbles before turning his attention back to Gamora. He knelt down and pulled off his gloves, "C'mere, girly." 

Gamora takes a cautious step back and eyed him suspiciously. That order was usually followed by rough treatment. "Are you mad at me?"

Yondu raised his eyebrows, "Ya do somethin' ya ain't supposed to?"

Gamora narrowed her eyes, "How would I know? Are you trying to trap me?"

He snorted and shook his head. "I ain't tryin' at trap ya. I ain't mad. Now, come here." She reluctantly shuffled forward, still feeling uncertain about Yondu's intentions. He clapped his hands and then rubbed his palms together rapidly for a minute. Then he held her fingers between his palms. His hands were rough from years of hard labor but they were warm too. He squeezed warmth back into her frozen fingers. "This weather is dangerous. If you're not careful you'll get frostbite." 

"What's that?"

"It's damage caused by freezing, it's a good way to lose a finger." Gamora's eyes widened, she tried to pull away but Yondu was still holding her hands tightly. "You can borrow my gloves until we can getcha some." He tugged his gloves over Gamora's much smaller hands. 

They're made of thick leather and have a soft fur lining, and they're dyed the same deep red color as their jackets. It's an expensive gift. "Thank you." 

Yondu scoffs lightly and gives her a small shove towards the docks. "Make yourself scarce, girl, before I putcha ta work." 

She grins up at him, "Aye, sir." Yondu trudged through the snow towards the back of the ship, where the longshoremen are unloading empty crates and canisters from the Eclector. Gamora runs down the gangplank and jumps into the snow. She's surprised when she sinks up to her knees. She flails about wildly, trying to regain her balance. She falls forward into the snow.

"Oh wipeout, " Kraglin winced. Some of the crew laughed and Yondu turned to look back at Gamora. She scrambled to her feet and gave them a thumbs up. 

"She's okay, " Jazinda says into her tea. She was bundled up in a thick overcoat, with a scarf and heavy winter boots. She looked like a marshmallow compared to Kraglin, who was only wearing his ravager jacket and work boots. They watch Gamora wade through the snow until she reaches the beaten path. She spots other girls weaving through the crowd and heads in their direction.

"Gamora!" Yondu yells across the docks. Gamora paused to look back at him. "Stay where we can see you! Don't go wandering off!"

She grinned, "Okay!" Gamora raced up to the other cabin girl and introduced herself.

"Give the kid a break, this is the first time she's been outside in months," Jazinda said pointedly. She was clinging to her tea, trying to absorb its warmth. "The docks are the safest place for a cabin girl to be, besides the ship."

Yondu made a face, "I don't like her bein' all alone this close to the Badoon Empire."

"She's not alone. The other sailors will look after our brat the same way we would watch out for theirs." Jazinda gestured at the other sailors with her tea. "Didn't you play on the docks when you were a kid?" Kraglin cringed slightly at the question.

"No," Yondu replied bluntly. He narrows his eyes at the other sailors. Most of them were Badoon men. "This ain't a normal port. Y'know how Badoon men are."

Jazinda shrugged, "This is Xandarian territory. I doubt they agree with what the Brotherhood is doing. Look, there's even a Nova outpost he–"A snowball hit the back of her head. She jerks forward, tea sloshes out of the mug. She spins to see Gamora giggled and ducked behind a pile of crates. "Hey! You little brats!" Jazinda thrust her tea into Kraglin's hands. "Permission to squash some station rats, boss?" Yondu chuckles and waves her off as another snowball hits her in the head. 

Jazinda stalks over and sweeps the snow off the crates onto the unsuspecting children hiding behind them. The cabin kids shriek and run in all directions. She snatches up Gamora by the waist. "Ah! I've been captured!" Gamora wails melodramatically before smashing a snowball on Jazinda's head.

"I'll save you, Gamora!" A half badoon girl hits Jazinda in the face with a snowball. The other kids followed her lead. Two find their target, three more miss completely. Jazinda drops Gamora into the snow and yells in surprise. Gamora runs towards her new friends. It gives Jazinda enough time to arm herself. Nobody escapes the snowy fury. 

The girls weaved between the cargo as they ran down the docks. They pause occasionally to check that Jazinda is still following them and to throw more snowballs at her. 

After running for a while, Gamora realizes she can't hear the voices of the other children or see Jazinda at all. They stumble to stop. L'wit, her new friend, is laughing and breathless. L'wit's bright yellow eyes seemed to sparkle. Her light green hair was pulled back into a ponytail, a few of her locks were placed in small braids. She had scaley olive skin, and there was a strawberry birthmark on her neck. Gamora leans against a lamppost and looks around. There are rows of vendors selling just about everything any person could want. The dockhands are unloading goods and setting up booths for the vendors. Something smells unbelievably good. Despite being the only kids in the area, no one seems to pay them any mind. "Where are we?"

L'wit shrugs, "This is where all the traveling merchants sell their cargo."

Gamora watches someone cracks open the shell of a crustacean, and feels her stomach growl. "I want one of those."

L'wit wrinkles her nose, "Why? It's not local." She grabbed Gamora's wrist and led her over to a vendor. "Two mapple pies please!" She pays for them and hands one to Gamora. "These are way better."

Gamora blinks in surprise but accepts the gift. "You must stop at this port pretty often."

L'wit giggled and shrugs, "Yeah, you could say that." They finish eating and she points back towards the docks. "We should go back. Auntie would get mad if she knew I wandered off this far."

Gamora can't imagine Yondu would be happy about that either, "Right." They walk back through their tracks and find someone standing at the edge of the docks. He appeared to be searching for someone but then grins when he sees them. He doesn't look like a sailor or a longshoreman, could be a local. He's wearing a long duster, similar to the one Jazinda had when they met. L'wit stands up a little straighter and leads Gamora past them.

"Hey!" They lunge over a crate to intercept them. "Why are you two wandering around alone?"

L'wit taps the patch sewn into the shoulder of her jacket, "I'm on official Drifter business."

She tries to dart around him but he doesn't let them pass. "You're one of the Drifters girls." He takes a step closer to Gamora trying to get a better look at her. A blaster was hiding behind his duster. "But you're not Badoon at all," Gamora can feel her heart pounding in her chest. L'wit scans the area for some kind of weapon. "Are you, Gamora?"

Gamora shrieks, "Get away from me!" He grabbed her roughly by the forearm and reached for his blaster. L'wit snatches up an abandoned shovel and swings it at his head. 

There's a loud thunk when the shovel finds its mark. The girls scream as the bounty hunter falls. He smacks his head on the side of a crate and falls limply to the ground. L'wit drops the shovel in a panic, and hugs Gamora, "Are you okay?"

Gamora nodded her head vigorously. "I'm okay! I'm okay!" After they had both calmed down, they turned to look down at the bounty hunter. "Do you think he's dead?" 

L'wit picked up the shovel, "There's one way to find out." She held it out for Gamora.

"Why do I have to poke him?" 

"Cause I did all the hard work of killing him!"

"I don't wanna poke a dead guy!" Her voice rises as she protests. 

Some of the patrons are staring at them, but none intervene. "Okay, okay, okay, " L'wit waves a hand to hush her. "We'll poke him together." Together, they held the shovel and poked the bounty hunter with the handle. 

A voice cuts through the noise of the market. "Hey, stop poking that dead homeless guy!" Jazinda stalks over to them.

"Jazinda!" Gamora drops the shovel and runs towards her. "It was a bounty hunter! He had a blaster and–"L'wit screams. The crowd scattered, people are yelling.

A second bounty hunter had stepped out of the crowd. They grabbed L'wit by the scruff of her coat. She was waving her weapon around wildly. "Even if I can't collect the bounty on your little friend. I'm sure the Brotherhood will pay well to have one of their stolen pets returned."

"Let me go!" L'wit kicked and screamed.

"Amateurs," Jazinda rolled her eyes and drew her weapon. "Hey asshole, now we both have guns. What now?"

They looked at Jaiznda's weapon and her eyes grew wide with panic. The bounty hunter points the weapon at L'wit, "You–you're gonna let me go, or, I'm going to shoot the kid!"

"You won't shoot her. If you do that, there's nothing to keep me from ripping you limb from limb." Jazinda takes a step forward.

The bounty hunter tightens her grip on L'wit, "Stay–stay back! I'm not kidding!" An Arcturan man wearing the same uniform jacket as L'wit was slowly creeping up behind the bounty hunter. 

"What's the rest of your plan here exactly? It doesn't seem like you have one." Jazinda chuckles darkly and moves a little closer. The bounty hunters' hands are shaking.

The crewman hits the bounty hunter with the handle of their gun. Her eyes roll back in her head. L'wit yelps as the bounty hunter starts to fall. Jazinda grabs L'wit away before they hit the ground, she sets the girl down lightly. L'wit gives the bounty hunter a good kick and sticks out her tongue.

The crewman spits at the ground and holsters their weapon, "Damned hunters." He looks over L'wit for any sign of injury and spares Gamora a concerned look as well. "You girls, alright?"

"Papa, I'm fine! We're both fine!" L'wit tried to push him away as he continued to fuss over her. Her father was scruffy looking with silver hair and pale skin, and he had a patch over his left eye. He brushes the stray hair out of her eyes, and she sticks her lower lip out in a pout. "Do we have to tell Auntie about this?"

Her father regards her with sympathy and glances back the way he came. A ferocious looking Badoon woman in a long coat with fur lining, stalks towards them. She's a good head and shoulders above everyone else. Three other crewmen race to keep up with her stride. "I think she already knows, leaf'let. Yous made quite a racket," He said. L'wit ducks behind him trying to hide.

Her Aunt surveys the scene and stops just short of the unconscious bounty hunters. "Siege, Report." She didn't yell exactly but her voice boomed across the market anyway.

Her father stood up to his full height and pushed L'wit out from behind him. He placed his hands on her shoulders so she couldn't run. "Hunters went after our girls again. This ravager took out one and helped me take out the other, Captain."

Gamora pointed at the bounty hunter, "We hit him with a shovel!" Jazinda hushed her.

"I was unaware that there were ravagers in my port, harbormaster, " The Captain raised an eyebrow at the squirrely young woman behind her.

She fiddled with her tablet and then replied in a quiet voice, "They only docked an hour ago, sir."

"You're the Captain of the port?" Jazinda ventured.

"I am Drak'ma, Captain of the Drifters and of our home port here in Ark'eos." The Captain gave Jazinda a once over, "And it appears your clan has docked without my permission."

L'wit fidgeted nervously, "Auntie, Gamora is my friend. Don't make them leave."

She regards the child quietly with a hardened glare, "You are in no position to be making demands, leaf'let. Did I not tell you explicitly to stay on the docks?"

L'wit dropped her gaze to the ground. "Yes'r." 

Drak'ma turns back to Jazinda. "If the rest of your crew shares your integrity I might consider allowing yous to stay."

"I'd be happy to pass that message along to our Captain, " Jazinda replied.

"No need. I'll let them know myself." She turned to leave but then stopped herself. Drak'ma raised an eyebrow at Gamora curiously. "Unusual for a ravager clan to keep a cabin girl."

Jazinda matched her tone, "Unusual for Badoon to let their daughters live."

Drak'ma smiled coldly, showing off her pointed teeth. "Common misconception. Only the lucky ones get to die." L'wit shifted uncomfortably and her father held her closer. "I'll see you around, ravager."

Jazinda took Gamora by the hand and led her away. Gamora yelled over her shoulder, "Bye L'wit! See ya later!" She waved back and managed a small smile. They make it about halfway back to the Eclector before Gamora starts complaining that her feet are cold. Jazinda carries her the rest of the way back.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

After the longshoremen finished unloading the Eclector, Yondu took Gamora out shopping to buy warmer clothing. She lags behind Yondu walking in his footsteps, where the snow is packed down. Yondu led her over to the nearest clothing store, "Listen, this close to the Badoon empire they probably segregate clothing by gender here. They might not have anything feminine at all, " he said in an attempt to stop Gamora from getting her hopes up. He opened the door to the shop.

"Woah," Gamora yells in delight and takes off running. She runs around the clothing rack, touching all the different materials. She pulls one of the jackets off the rack, "Look at all this stuff!"

It draws the attention of the store clerk. They greet them in Imperial Badoon, "Can I help you?" 

Yondu snatches the jacket out of Gamora's hands and puts it back on the rack. "Yeah, ya got anything that'll fit her?" He puts a hand on her shoulder to keep her from running around. She waves at the clerk.

They smile and wave back. "Of course, we work with the Drifters all the time." The clerk points to the back, "Over there." 

Yondu blinks in surprise. "Huh," He lets go of Gamora and she runs to the back of the store. There's a small section for kids with feminine clothing. It's not much but it's more than Yondu was expecting. He watches Gamora rifle through all the sweaters on the rack. She pauses on a pink one with a little stitched hearts. Gamora's hands drift down to the price tag. She glares at the sweater before continuing down the rack. Yondu mutters a curse under his breath. He pulls the sweater off the rack. "Did ya like this one?"

Gamora drops her gaze to the floor. "It's expensive."

"That ain't what I asked. Do you like this one?" He reiterated forcefully. Gamora nodded hesitantly. He tossed it into their shopping basket. She pulled it out of the shopping basket and put it back on the rack. "What the hell're you doing?"

"You can't buy that one! You're spending too much on me already." She says with a stomp of her foot.

"Ya don't get ta tell me how I spend my units, little girl." Yondu rolls his eyes and grabs the sweater off the rack again. "I wouldn't have ta pay for your hotel room and your meals if you didn't send your entire paycheck home ta your mama."

Gamora puffed out her cheeks in frustration. "Kraglin told you?"

"Ya thought he wouldn't?" Yondu raised an eyebrow at her. He tossed the sweater back into the basket. "Those units are supposed ta pay for your living expenses while we're planetside."

"But mama needs it more! So she doesn't have to work so much and I won't be such a burden to–" Yondu's eye twitched and he slapped her upside the head. Gamora shrank away from him and rubbed the sore spot. "What was that for?"

"You're whining! Don't whine at me," Yondu growled. Gamora hung her head and scuffed her shoe against the floor. He sighs, deeply and uneasily, "I know it's hard but try not ta worry about the price. Find something ya like, ain't nothin' in this shop that's expensive."

"You don't know anything," She mutters with vile contempt. "You have lotsa nice toys. A nice ship. Plenty of units."

Yondu began to browse through the sweaters casually. He was trying to play it cool but Gamora could tell he was still irritated. "You think I was a ravager my entire life?" He asked carefully.

Gamora shrugs passive-aggressively, "Kraglin told me you were a midshipman. That you served under Captain Stakar." 

Yondu froze. For a split second the corners of his mouth twitched into a grimace, but then he continued to look at the sweaters as if nothing had happened. He picks out a navy blue sweater and tosses it into the basket. "I was 20 when Stakar picked me up. I didn't have nothing ta my name before that." Gamora looks at him curiously but Yondu doesn't elaborate. "Do you remember what I toldja the night we met? When you was ballin' your lil' eyes out over dinner?"

Gamora hummed and tilted her head to the side, thinking hard, "You told me if I wanted to pay you back I should work."

"Naw, the other thing." 

"That… that I wasn't a prisoner?" She frowned at him.

He sighed and then poked her chest with his finger. "Even prisoners get food, shelter an' clothing. It's the bare minimum." 

Gamora shifted uncomfortably and touched the sweater in front of her. She didn't believe him. Her mother always said she worked so much to earn the things they had. If Yondu was right, and her mother was wrong, then why was Gamora left all alone while her mother worked? Why were there nights where she went to bed hungry? "I haven't earned the units for nice clothes," Gamora whispers. 

"But you're entitled ta them anyway," Yondu replied softly and earnestly. "Even when that lil' voice in your head says don't deserve it." He pulled another sweater off the rack and held it up. It was light brown with a large pocket on the front. It had the face of a teddy bear sewn on it and a hood with little ears. "Ya like this one?"

Gamora stared at the cute bear for a moment. She resisted the urge to check the price tag under the unspoken threat of being slapped again. She nodded. Yondu threw it into the basket. He held up another sweater he thought Gamora would like and they continued shopping like this for a while. Slowly, Gamora started to pick out clothes she liked on her own. They bought her plenty of warm clothes to wear over the next month.

They leave the store and start the trek back to the hotel. Gamora pretends her toy robot is running along the shop's windowsill as they walk. Something inside catches her eyes. There's a doll with soft green skin and long red hair like hers. Gamora stops in front of the window, her breath fogs up the glass. They sold dolls just like it on her homeworld. She had always wanted one but they couldn't afford it. Gamora had loved the old plushies that had been passed down to her, but it wasn't the same as picking out a new doll herself. Yondu had noticed that Gamora wasn't following him anymore and had doubled back. He leans over her shoulder to see what she was looking at. "If you want that doll we can buy it, " Yondu said.

Gamora jumped, startled by his presence. She looks down at her cherished toy robot and forces a shrug. She didn't want him to spend any more units. Her mother's words echo in her mind, "I have enough as it is. Besides, she's too expensive anyway."

"It's okay to want more than you have. Someone out there always has it better than you," Yondu replied. He stalks inside the shop and plucks the doll off the window display.

"Wait, Yondu!" Gamora hurries after him. She tries to block his path to the checkout counter. "I'd feel greedy for taking anything more! I don't need a new dolly!" 

"You're a ravager now being greedy is part of the job description. We take what we want when we want it." Yondu very easily shoved Gamora aside. He noticed a display of packages of chalk, and remembered the colorful and strange drawings that Gamora often left all over the walls and floor of the Eclector. Hadn't she mentioned something about running out of chalk? He grabbed two large packages off the display. 

Gamora grabbed onto the back of his jacket, "But it's too–"

He spun around to glare at her. "Girly, if I hear you complain about the price one more time, I'm gonna steal this crap instead!"

"That's no good either!" She protested.

The teenage store clerk barked a laugh. They spoke Imperial Badoon but their accent told of an upbringing in the colony. "You don't have to do that." Yondu and Gamora suddenly realized how loud their dispute was and looked over at the clerk in surprise. They leaned their elbows against the counter and rested their chin on their fist. "Our store donates those dolls to the Drifters all the time. They helped my mama and I get out." They tugged down the collar of their shirt to reveal an orange symbol tattooed on their collarbone. "If yous want the doll, just take it."

Yondu furrowed his brow. "I think you're confused, girl. We ain't Drifters." 

The teenager frowned and pointed at Gamora. "She's not one of the Drifter's girls?"

"She's my cabin girl. We're from outta town," He replied plainly.

"Oh." They blinked their inner set of eyelids and then chuckled awkwardly. They switched to Union Standard, "Sorry, about that then eh. The only lil' girls we get around here are survivors of the empire. Yous can still keep da doll if you want, though." The teenager sat back down, turning their attention back to the magazine they were reading.

"Seriously?" He regards them with suspicion.

"Yeah, mama was gonna donate 'em anyway," they said, before giving Gamora a keen look. "You do want the doll right?" 

She stares down at the doll and her expression softens. She hung her head. Gamora didn't know why she still felt guilty, they were giving them away for free after all. She shrugged and then nodded. "Uh-huh." Yondu passed the doll to Gamora. 

She brushes the hair away from the doll's face. The hard plastic was cold to the touch. She was wearing a simple floral dress and her hair went down to her mid-back. She's so much prettier up close. Gamora loved her. Gamora loved her so much. She was the doll Gamora had wanted for so long. And she was brand new, not made of paper, or scrap fabric, or something passed down. A brand new doll that was entirely Gamora's. A doll Gamora had chosen for herself. She hugged her doll tight.

Yondu paid for the new packs of chalk. Although, he got the feeling the teenage clerk wouldn't have noticed or cared if he had simply walked out the door without paying. He ushered Gamora out of the small store. Halfway back to the hotel she reached out and grabbed Yondu's hand. He doesn't push her away.


	16. Don't Stop

They planted a tree for Kekallie the next morning. The other children wept and held each other, while Peter hid off to the side. He felt like an interloper amongst his grieving family. He missed her badly but also resented her for what she tried to do. He didn't understand how she could do something like that. She was the big sister who tucked him in at night, held him after a harsh punishment, and teased them. It felt like a different person that attacked him last night. Maybe he didn't know Kekallie at all. 

Voros stood under the tree, staring up at the artificial sunlight through the leaves. He had known Kekallie the best since they had grown up in the nursery together. They had been the last of Peter's eldest siblings. Ophid said there had been 7 kids Voros' age at one point. He had seen more of his siblings die in this awful place than anybody. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. It occurred to Peter that he had never seen Voros upset before. Thanos didn't like it when they cried.

Peter didn't see Heather at all that day, he didn't think much of it at the time. Kekallie had betrayed her, and Peter had failed her. Why would she want to be near him? But then, days dragged on into weeks. He didn't see her at mealtimes or in their limited free time before bed. Peter started to worry about her. He assumed she was spending all her time with Ebony. Peter knew he was just as slimy as the rest of the Black Order, but Heather never believed him. Peter didn't know what Ebony was planning to do with Heather but it couldn't be good.

He decided to sit with Photon and Nexus at lunch and see what information he could squeeze out of them. "Have you guys seen Heather, recently?" He signed slowly. He resisted the urge to giggle as he watched Nexus and Lexifer repeat the letters of Heather's name under their breath as Peter spelled it out. 

Nexus and Lexifer shared a look before shrugging and shaking their heads. Edbe stared at her plate. "Not since she killed Kekallie," Photon grumbled through a mouthful of food.

Nexus nodded, "Than–Dad had her pulled from all our lessons. She has private tutors now."

"And she can't train with us anymore either," Photon said. "Ebony said they have one-on-one lessons to be safe."

Peter's eyebrows shot up. Lexifer pushed his food around his plate. "It's 'cause she hates us."

"Maybe she hates you! But I didn't do anything to sissy!" Nexus protested in a whiny tone of voice. "It's all stupid Ebony's fault."

"No, it's not! Ebony said it was for our safety! She's too dangerous! You remember what she did to Cauda, and then to Kekallie," Photon insisted. Lexifer's eyes filled up with tears and Edbe grabbed his hand.

"That only happened because Kekallie kept pushing her. You would've done the same thing," Nexus countered solemnly.

"Don't talk about Kekallie that way! She would never do that! She wouldn't," Edbe glared at Nexus. "She was our sister and she loved us!"

"Hey!" Peter yelled over their argument. They all looked at him in surprise. 

"You're talking!?" Photon said with astonishment. "Did your doctor say that was okay?"

"Prac–pra–"

"Practicing?" Lexifer guessed and Peter nodded.

"Don't force yourself to speak right away if it hurts, Petey," Nexus says with genuine concern. 

"'M fine." He stumbled over his word and then switched back to signing. If he talked too much it often left his throat and jaw sore the next day. "It's not important. Where are Heather's private lessons? I want to check in on her."

Lexifer wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve. "I think they're in the Black Order's private training facilities." Nexus nodded his head in agreement.

After lunch, Peter quietly slipped away from his siblings. He hurries down the familiar winding hallways to the Black Order's section of the ship. It was also where his so-called father spent most of his time. The halls and doorways were much larger to accommodate Thanos' height. It always made Peter feel exceptionally small. This part of Sanctuary II was older as well. The hallways felt gothic, with random columns, pointed arches, and ornate decoration. Combined with the complete lack of windows and dark iridescent metal, Peter found it to be the most hostile place on the ship. It looked like the home of Cyborg Dracula. Peter avoided this section of the ship at all costs. Even the Aprons never lingered too long here.

Peter snuck over to the entrance to the Black Order's training facility. The door slid open automatically and he peered inside. It was nearly identical to the gym the children used, only balance beams were higher off the ground. 

Heather stood at one end of the shooting range with Ebony at her side. She lifts several rocks out of a basket with her telekinesis. Her eyes are a burning pure white and smoke spills out from eyelids like water. Heather's eyes twitch. Peter blinks and the rock is gone. There's a resounding crack as something hits the target at the end of the range. Without turning her head she yells, "Go away, Peter." He frowned and glared at Ebony. "I'm fine." She added forcefully, reading his thoughts from across the room. "Teacher would never hurt me. He is the only one who cares about me."

Peter furrowed his brow. He signed slowly, "I care about you too."

Heather picked up two more rocks. "How did Kekallie know where to find me?" Peter blinked at the sudden change in topic. Heather hurled the rocks at the target. It sounds like a thunderclap. "How did she know?!" Peter frowned when she raised her voice. He couldn't figure out why Heather was acting like this. He shrugs in response. 

Her head snaps around turning her burning gaze on him. There's a flash of white light and a horrible aching pain in his forehead. "Gently, very gently, my dear. You don't want to scramble his mind." Peter barely hears Ebony speak as he's hit with a vivid memory.

_Kekallie takes the container from him and fills it with healthier food. "Heather has been spending all her time in that laboratory of hers. I think she might even be sleeping in there." Kekallie chuckles like there's a joke in there somewhere._

__

__

Peter shakes his head. He signs: "Beans is sleeping in my cabin."

_Kekallie puts a lid on the container and sets it aside. "You always made her feel safe." She smiled and Peter felt his chest swell._

It felt like someone had reached inside his mind and yanked the memory to the forefront. It leaves him feeling disoriented and dizzy. He pressed his palm to his forehead. "You told her where I was."

Peter takes a step towards her. It had been such a mundane conversation, Peter hadn't even realized what he had done. "I didn't mean to tell her."

"But you did. I had to… I had to kill her because of you." She picked up three more rocks.

His eyes widened. He shook his head, and signed frantically, "I didn't make you do anything."

"I saw you drop your gun that night too."

A chill ran down his spine. "That wasn't me."

The rocks began to spin in a circle as Heather clenched her fists. "How could it not be you!?"

"It was Ebony. He–"

"Of course, you'd try to blame Teacher. He wasn't even there, Peter!" She yelled squeezing her eyes shut tight. The rocks spun faster. "You were going to let her kill me. Deep down, you're just like all the others."

"It's not true. You're my sister, I care about you," he signs desperately.

The rocks whistle through the air. "No, you only think you do! I don't matter as much as you're real mommy and daddy! The only real family you have is dead."

Peter stares at her with wide eyes. His hands curled into fists. Boiling hot anger swelled up in his chest. ”You big jerk!" He yelled across the room. 

Heather's eyes stopped glowing and the stones fell to the ground harmlessly. She turns away from him, towards her teacher. Peter turned his back on his sister and stormed out of the room. It didn't make him feel any better. He had done everything he could to help her. Peter decided he wouldn't apologize until she apologized first. It was all her fault after all. 

This was the last conversation they would have for 20 years.

Ebony kept Heather completely isolated from the rest of her siblings. She stopped eating meals with them, stopped playing games with them, she even slept in a different part of the ship. When she was old enough to go on missions, Ebony insisted that she work alongside him. Peter only ever saw her from the other side of the glass wall on the observation deck. When Heather was standing over her bloodied opponent in the arena, glaring up at them, and wondering who would be next.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

Peter didn't sleep much that night. All the lights in his cabin were turned off. He didn't bother to lock the door since the deadbolt had already failed to protect him before. He had spent years enduring Proxima Midnight and Thanos' gruelly training. He was the best shot of all his siblings. But none of it had mattered when it counted. He couldn't do anything to protect his sister. He couldn't do anything to stop Kekallie. It had been a very long, very painful couple of days. And Peter had lost not just one sister but two. He pulled the blankets over his head and hugged his walkman as Don't Stop by Fleetwood and Mac played through his headphones.

He heard a knock at the door and realized how much time had passed. The door to his cabin slid open and light filled the room. Voros called out, "Peter, you're still in bed?" He poked his head out from under the blankets and pulled the headphones off. "Is everything alright?" Voros asked gently. Peter shrugged, not wanting to bother Voros. Unfortunately, his older brother easily saw through this, "it's about Kekallie isn't it?" Peter drew his knees up to his chest, trying to hide. Voros carefully stepped over the toys that littered the floor, and sat down at the foot of his bed. "It's only been two weeks since her passing. It's okay if you are still upset." Peter forced a shrug and bit his lip. There was a tight painful feeling in his chest. "Do you want a hug?"

Peter crawled out from under the covers and onto Voros' lap. He held Peter tight, resting his cheek on Peter's head. In the safety of Voros' arms, Peter takes a deep shuddering breath and a few stray tears spilled down his face. Voros rubbed his back and hushed him gently. They sat together for a few minutes and it brought Peter some comfort. With shaking hands he signs, "I couldn't help them."

Voros sighs and hugged him tight. "There was nothing you could have done." Peter fiddled with his walkman, he didn't believe him. He still felt like he had failed. Voros kissed him on the head and then patted his back. "I have to wake up the others. Do you want to help me out today?" Peter shrugged and stared down at his walkman. He felt tired. He felt like nothing he did mattered, so he didn't want to do anything. Peter wanted to crawl back into bed and disappear. But he also hated the idea of being alone. He tugged on Voros sleeve and then nodded. Without a word, Voros scoops Peter up and hoists him up on his shoulders. "Watch your head," Voros warned as they ducked through the doorway and exited Peter's cabin.

Nebula, Miertra, and Allace were already awake and moving. Peter could hear them arguing in the bathroom. Voros moved down the hallway and knocks on Ophid's door. "I'm up! I'm up!" They yelled in a panic. There was a loud thump and then a crash as Ophid tripped over the clutter in their cabin. Peter giggled and rested his chin on Voros' head. The door to Ophid's cabin slid open a moment later. They yawned, "Good mornin','' they blinked their eyes out of unison, and squinted at Peter. "Two headed monster thing."

"Good morning, hurry and get dressed." Voros ruffled Ophid's messy bed head. "Breakfast is twenty minutes."

They yawned again, "Can't I sleep more?" Voros fixed them with a stern look. "Please! Peter isn't even dressed yet!"

Peter frowned and looked away. "He is having a rough morning, I am making an exception," Voros explained. "Father will not be pleased if you are not ready for breakfast." Ophid let out a defeated sigh and closed their door.

Voros continued down the hallway to the nursery. Nebula throws Peter a curious look as they pass. He put his headphones back on. The wire was coming loose again, he would have to repair it soon. Voros knocks on the door. After a few minutes without a response, he tapped the button to unlock it. When Voros stepped inside he pulled Peter off his shoulders.

The nursery looked just like Peter remembered. He had spent many sleepless nights in one of the lower bunks. All the youngest kids slept in the nursery until one of the other cabins on the quarterdeck opened up. The walls were painted baby blue and there was one long window on the far wall. There was a crib pushed against the back wall and six bunk beds with metal frames. A list of names was written in all different languages on the wall nearest the lower bunk. It was a tradition Kekallie had started. 

Their first year aboard Sanctuary II, Thanos forbade them from speaking their native tongue. He said it would help them learn Standard faster. Kekallie had written the names of her parents in her native tongue, where she could see it every night before bed. It was a small act of rebellion. The other children had quickly joined in. Now it was a cluttered mess, names are written wherever they would fit on the wall. The marker had begun to fade away in certain places. The hole from where Nebula had put her fist through the wall after Peter had teased her too much, was still there. Peter wondered briefly how many children had passed through the nursery.

He touched the names of his own parents, Meredith and Jason Quill. The marker still looked fresh. His eyes skimmed down the list. He recognized the names of Allace's fathers, and where Nexus couldn't remember the name of his mother and had simply written Mommy in red marker. Peter recognized Heather's pretty cursive handwriting too. Her parents are Drax and Ovette Douglas. 

"It's time to get up!" Voros announced. "Breakfast is in twenty minutes."

"Mm," Lexifer hummed and sat up slowly on the lower bunk. He stretched and accidentally pushed his stuffed animal off the bed.

Peter picked it up for him. "Morning, Lex," he signed slowly. 

"L-e-x," Lexifer muttered under his breath as Peter spelled out his name. "Oh, that's me. G'mornin' Petey." He yawned and slid out of bed. Rexili and Mala followed suit.

"Baba ba," Umi stood up in his crib and demanded his release with a stomp of his foot. Peter waved at him. Umi waved back enthusiastically. Peter walked across the nursery and scooped Umi up carefully. His little brother cooed happily and then grabbed the wires attached to Peter's headphones. Before Peter could stop him, Umi yanked the wire out of his walkman. Music filled the nursery. Peter sighed when Umi chirped in delight and flapped his arms about.

"Oh, he likes you!" Edbe giggles as she slides down the ladder from her top bunk. 

Voros hurried to take Umi off Peter's hands. "Sorry," He carefully pried Umi's hand off of Peter's headphones. "Those aren't yours Umi, please let go," Voros scolds him softly. 

Nexus swayed on his bunk. "All I want is to see you smile, if it takes just a little while," He hummed along to the music. 

Peter sighed, not in the mood for dancing and singing today. He moved to turn it off, Edbe snatched his walkman away from him, "Hey!" He protested. He lunged at her but Edbe twirled out of the way and tossed it to Nexus. Peter tried to take it back from Nexus but his little brother tossed his walkman back to Edbe.

Edbe and Nexus paraded out into the hallway carrying his walkman away. Peter gives Voros an exasperated and pleading look, "Here." He handed Peter his headphones, before following the parade out of the nursery. Umi giggles and claps his hands. Peter reluctantly followed. 

Rexili grabbed Peter's hand and twirled around. Peter cracks a small smile as his younger siblings sing loudly. They're outlandish and otherworldly accents butchering the English passionately. Mala and Edbe giggle and spin a circle with their hands clasped together. Nexus leads the parade to the closest bathroom. Ophid laughed as they passed them and Nebula rolled her eyes. Before the song ended she snatched the walkman out of Nexus' hands and turned it off. She rolled her eyes and tossed the walkman back to Peter. "Breakfast will be served in ten minutes, stop messing around."

"Aww! Boo!" The younger children jeered at her.

"No, she's right," Voros quieted them as he checked the time on his transmitter. Peter plugged his headphones back into his walkman. Voros ruffled Peter's hair to make him giggle. "Go get dressed, let me know if you need more help." He pushed him towards his cabin.

Peter managed to get dressed in time for breakfast, although he didn't have the energy to brush his teeth or his hair. Not that Thanos would know. He ate breakfast with Ophid and Allace, he liked listening to them talk on days when he didn't have the energy to converse. Slowly he was starting to feel better.

After breakfast, Corvus announced that they were all to report to the hangar bay instead of the gym. They were going planetside.

It was a kind of organized chaos inside the hangar bay. The servants and soldiers helped load ammunition and provisions onto the ships. While the engineers and programmers milled about making last minute preparations to the ships' equipment. The youngest kids were giddy to get a glimpse at the planet below. They were too young for missions but with Black Order busy with preparations there was no one to teach them either. They had free reign of the ship for a short amount of time. 

Peter heaved his suitcase onto the pile and slung his backpack over his shoulder. He turned to head back to the group when he saw something odd. Nexus seemed to be talking to the air. Curious, Peter crept closer. "...so lucky that you get to go planetside, Guivre. I wanna go outside too!" The name sounded familiar but Peter couldn't remember where he had heard it before. Peter raised his eyebrows and stepped into Nexus' line of sight. "Oh hey, Peter!"

"Who are you talking to?" Peter signed while glancing around.

"Oh, Dr. Morgan's assistant. Heather introduced me… when she still talked to me." His expression fell. 

"Telepathically?" Peter guessed.

"Uh-huh," Nexus nodded. "She's helping get the ships ready for take off right now. Didja know that thanks to the Ai none of the ships need to have a crew anymore!"

Peter nodded, signing a little faster. "Yeah, we'll get the whole ship to ourselves. No black Order. No stupid Jackboots. No dad!"

Nexus groaned, "You're so lucky! I wanna go too. Hey, will you bring me back a flower if you see any? Guivre is gonna be too busy."

"We have flowers in the garden," Peter chuckled.

"It's not the same! Please?" He nodded and shrugged indifferently. "Yes! Thanks, Peter!" Nexus chirped.

"Attention, Vermin!" Proxima snaps her fingers and the children quickly fall into line in front of her. Peter ran to join the line. They all stood at attention, obediently waiting for orders. Her mouth twitches into a smug little smile. 

Corvus sighed, "Yes, yes, you trained the dogs very well." He muttered before raising his voice. "The Master wants you with the second wave. You will have 74 hours to locate your target and bring their head to the Master. He will be located here," Corvus opened up a map of the planet and pinpointed the location. He then transfers the data to Ophid's transmitter.

"I believe he plans to build another monument to his beloved," Proxima said dreamily. 

Corvus snorted and then continued, "I am assigning you to the Guivre. The Ai should fly you to the correct location." Peter's eyes widened as Corvus pointed them towards the Dreadnought. That's where he recognized the name. The Guivre wasn't Dr. Morgan's assistant, she was the ship. But that didn't make any sense, how could a ship communicate telepathically? His mind was reeling. Maybe he misheard Corvus.

As they were led over to the ship, Peter tried to lean around to read the name on the side. Nebula stumbled into him and then shoved him. "Stop messing around! You'll get us in trouble!" The crowds part for them as they make their way towards the warships.

Peters shrugged and signed, "Relax, they're not watching." He nods back at the Black Order. He walks faster to keep up with Nebula, he studies her expression. "Hey, are you nervous?"

"No!" She replies too quickly, too forcefully.

He smiles, "You are nervous! You always do great on missions, don't worry so much."

"This is different." Nebula lowers her voice so it's barely above a whisper. "Dad will be watching us this time. This is my chance to prove myself."

Peter shrugs, "If you say so."

"Peter stop dawdling, " Proxima snaps at him. Peter rolls his eyes and Nebula smirks. He doesn't know why he always gets yelled at. They're ushered quickly up the ramp and into the airlock. The door closes behind them.

"Hello!" A pleasant feminine voice greeted them over the ship's comms in Imperial Badoon. "I am your pilot, the Ai that operates this ship's facilities. If you require anything at all feel free to ask. My name is Guivre, it's a pleasure to meet you all."


	17. That's All

Yondu had bought Gamora a hotel room to stay in while the Eclector was docked. It was the most luxurious hotel room she had ever seen. Granted, she had only ever seen two hotel rooms. She pulls Kraglin into the room. "Look Kraglin! It's huge! I got my own TV and a window! You could fit my whole house in here!" Gamora jumps up on the bed. All the blankets and pillows were in a pile next to the space heater.

He chuckles and then shakes his head. "Stop jumping on the bed before the Captain sees and gives ya a slap."

"Yes'r." Gamora spreads her arms out and flops backward onto the bed. She giggles to herself.

"What am I seeing?" Yondu stopped out in the hallway when he heard his name. He leans in the doorway.

Gamora props herself up on her elbows, "Nothing! I'm behaving."

Yondu raised an eyebrow at Kraglin. The first mate only offers half a shrug in response. Yondu spots the bundle of blankets on the floor and stalks across the room. "You sleeping on the floor again?"

"No, " She answers hesitantly.

"Is that 'No, I'm not sleeping on the floor" or 'No, I don't want to get in trouble?" Kraglin asked.

"No?"

Yondu scoops up the blankets and pillows and carries them over to the bed. "Scoot." Gamora slid off the bed, so he could make it. "Ya can't sleep on the floor."

Gamora stomped her foot, "But the bed is too soft!"

"You won't get used to it unless you're sleepin' in it," Yondu says.

She narrows her eyes, "How would you know?"

Yondu rolls his eyes, "I know everything."

"You do not, " she replied. "What's 8 plus 6?"

"14," Yondu replies without looking up.

Gamora stares down at her fingers intensely as she does the math. "No, he's right!" She looks at them incredulously, and Kraglin chokes down laughter.

He digs her pajamas out of the dresser drawer and tosses them to her. "Go wash up before dinner."

Gamora took the pajamas from him and groaned, "I don't wanna shower, it's boring."

Yondu leveled a glare at her. Gamora knew she shouldn't have complained but couldn't help herself. Kraglin shrugged and cleared his throat, "Ya don't have to take a shower. You could take a bath."

"There's a bathtub too!?" Gamora squealed in delight and raced into the bathroom to check. "It's huge!"

Kraglin laughed at her, "One a' the benefits of being planetside."

"Okay, get out!" She pushed Kraglin towards the door. Yondu rolled his eyes and followed them out into the hall. "I'm gonna take a bath!" Gamora shut the door to her hotel room.

After her bath, Gamora pulls on her nightgown and struggles for a few minutes to do up the buttons. She tugs on her ravager jacket and grabs her doll before heading downstairs. The jacket made her feel safer.

Gamora stepped out of the elevator and into the bar. The air was thick with the smell of cigar smoke and sweat. Thankfully, the lighting inside the bar was poor. Gamora couldn't see what was making her slippers stick to the floor, or what state the furniture was in. The other ravagers had grown used to Gamora's presence but the locals throw her odd looks as she makes her way over to the bar. She hugs her doll tight and marches on. She found an empty barstool and climbed on top of it. "Hey, mister!" She intoned cheerfully. The bartender gives her a baffled look, he spins around to see if Gamora was trying to get the attention of someone behind him. "Yeah, I'm talking to you!"

He slowly makes his way over. "Uh, how… how did you get in here?" They greeted her in some Badoon language she didn't recognize.

"Through the door." She pointed towards the entrance, then asked politely, "Can I have hot cocoa, and some nuggets, please!"

A fight broke out behind Gamora. One man bashed a bottle over another man's head and then someone else tackled them. The fight was as brutal as it was fast. Blood and teeth are splatters across the floor. Gamora doesn't so much as blink. The bartender made a strangled noise and pressed his fist over his mouth. "Okay," He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the bar so he was eye level with Gamora. "Does the Captain know you're in here? Cause I don't want to get in trouble and I don't want to see you get put over the barrel…."

He didn't talk to her in that condescending tone of voice the Grown-ups used when they thought they caught her doing something bad, and Gamora appreciated that. "He knows. He said it was fine as long as I wore my jacket."

The bartender sighed and pulled out his transmitter. It was at this point that Yondu made his way over to Gamora. He put a heavy hand on her shoulder, "She's with us."

The bartender stood up as he made the connection between Yondu and Gamora's uniform jackets. He switched to Union Standard, "Oh, she's your cabin girl then, eh? You should keep an eye on her."

"Aye, I was." Yondu replied irritably, "Why'd ya think we're talkin'?"

"I want hot chocolate and nuggets, please!" Gamora chirped. Yondu rolled his eyes and slapped her upside the head. "Ow! Whadd I do?"

"Please?" He mocks her in a whiney high pitched voice. Gamora felt her face flush. "Ravagers don't say please. What did we talk about just yesterday?"

She squeezed her doll tight as she tried to remember. "Ravagers take what they–what we want?" She muttered hesitantly, Yondu nodded his head towards the bartender and raised his eyebrows. "Right." She mustered up her best scowl and raised her voice, "I want nuggets and hot chocolate now!"

The bartender snorted and leaned on the bar again. "Don't have any cocoa. I do have coffee, though."

"Fuck no. Don't give her coffee," Yondu interjected almost immediately.

"Aw," Gamora pouted and the bartender shrugged again.

"Just get her poison mapple cider without the fireball," Yondu said, clearly exasperated.

"Sure, one hot cider with glitter coming up," the bartender replied before moving to prepare her drink.

Gamora gasped quietly and looked at Yondu in amazement, "You can eat glitter?!" He chuckled and sat down at the bar next to her. Gamora swung her feet casually as she waited.

"Here, ya go," the bartender set down Gamora's drink, which Yondu then paid for.

The hot cider was served in a transparent glass mug with a cinnamon stick. The swirling liquid was a deep amber color, near black where it met the glass and orange in the center. Foam rose to the surface as if it were boiling, and it glittered like gold. Gamora's mouth dropped open. It looked like a magic potion. She stares at the drink, entranced by it. "Are ya gonna drink it or what?"

Gamora nodded and slowly brought the mug to her lips. She takes a first cautious sip, and then drinks more. "It's good!" She announced gleefully.

Yondu grinned into his own drink. "If ya want another one, tell him ta put it on my tab." Gamora nodded and sipped her drink.

She was on her second mug when L'wit burst through the doors of the bar, with the other drifters. Drak'ma had to duck so she wouldn't hit her head on the doorframe. Her first mate and Seige trailed behind them. L'wit race up to the bar, "Gamora!"

"L'wit!" Yondu frowned as the girls squealed and hugged. He twisted around to look at the drifters.

"Lav'kiln, they're multiplying!" The bartender pinched the bridge of his nose. "Drak'ma, if you haven't noticed this is not a family restaurant!" She turned her steely gaze on him and the bartender got nervous. He pointed to the far side of the bar. "I'm pretty sure that guy is dead, and I dunno what in Lilium is on the floor but it's growing and bleach only makes it stronger."

"I've seen a dead guy before," L'wit announced in a show of juvenile masculinity.

"I wanna see a dead guy too!" Gamora leaned forward on the bar trying to steal a peek.

Tullk wandered over to poke the man. He fell off the stool. "Not dead!" Tullk announced chiperly. "Just drunk."

"Sept'rig," Drak'ma said in a familiar and patronizing tone of voice. "I can assure you that my girls have found far greater horrors inside a hatchling's diaper than they will in your tavern." L'wit and Gamora giggled, while Sept'rig grimaced. Drak'ma strolled up to the bar and set her transmitter on the counter. Sept'rig pours her a pint of ale. "If this hole in the wall is good enough for the ravager's girl, it is good enough for my leaf'let." She throws Yondu a curious side glance.

"My hotel room has a TV!" Gamora told L'wit cheerfully, they broke off into their own side conversation.

Yondu gave Drak'ma a once over. She's easily the tallest person in the room and she built like a brick house. She had a square jawline, piercings in her eyebrow and nose, and five old scars ran diagonally across her face. Her eyes are a cold violet color and her dark wild hair started at a widow's peak. "You must be the drifters I keep hearing about." Yondu said casually.

"Indeed." She lifted her mug to him by way of greeting. "I'm Drak'ma, Captain of the Unbroken. At your service, Udonta."

"Uh," Yondu's eyebrows shot up, and leaned back. "You've heard a' me?"

"I recognize the blood red uniforms. You've stirred up quite the buzz between guilds, Captain Yondu Udonta the Outcasted." She took a swig from her glass.

Yondu grimaced at the title, "What… uh what have you heard, exactly?"

"That you were ostracized for transporting children, but were not exiled from the guild. There is… speculation as to why you are allowed to keep your title and clan. There is little doubt that anyone else would have been killed for such behavior," she replies matter-of-factly. She gestures at him with her glass. "Your guild leaders are private about internal conflicts if that is any consolation."

"Y'all know what I did and you would still sit and drink with me?"

"I care not for what lies in your past, only how you act in the present." Drak'ma shrugs casually and looks over at where L'wit was playing with Gamora. "Your third mate stepped in to protect our leaf'let, and for that I am grateful."

Yondu arched his eyebrows, "Did she?"

"Aye," Drak'ma lifted her mug to her lips, "And if you and your men continue to behave like good little boys, you can stay in my port."

Yondu snickered into his drink, "And if I don't?"

"I'd hate to have to make an example out of you, Captain," she replied smoothly.

Yondu grinned despite himself. He gestures at the table where Jazinda and Kraglin are playing cards. "We have business ta discuss then." They moved away from the bar. The cards are shuffled away to make room for holographic maps and star charts.

L'wit and Gamora eventually migrate over to their table as the night drags on. L'wit crawls up on Siege's lap and he wraps his arms around her. She yawns, struggling to keep her eyes open. Gamora climbs into the chair next to Jazinda and holds her doll in her lap. Siege pointed at the holographic map open on the table. "There's one Nova outpost here. Officer All'ura won't give–”

"I'm hungry!" Gamora announced to the table.

Yondu shoots her a disapproving glare, but the drifters chuckle. Kraglin hands her a menu and Gamora orders something to eat, while the adults resume talking. "She won't give yous any trouble."

"The cadet is the one you need to watch out for." Drak'ma grumbles before taking a long swig from her mug.

"The boy is desperate to flex his new authority and he's bored out of his mind, " Siege sighed.

"If Leaf–"

"Officer All'ura." Siege corrects Drak'ma quickly.

Drak'ma starts over, "If Officer All'ura doesn't smack some sense into that boy. I'll have to do it for her." Siege only chuckles and shakes his head.

Kraglin is looking over the holographic star charts. "Siege, are there any Nova outposts after this?"

"All'ura's outpost is the last one. If the Novas cross into Badoon territory, they'll take it as a call to war." Yondu nods and sipped his drink. They brought food out to the table and the maps were shuffled away to make room. "Lav'kiln, " Siege mutters before heaping a large chunk of meat onto Gamora's plate. "You feeding this girl at all? Skinnier than a toothpick, she is."

"Dr. Brahl said I was mal–mal-nearest," Gamora furrowed her brow as she stumbled over the word.

"Malnourished, " Jazinda corrects her.

"Yeah, mal-moorished!" 

"You had a hard life, little one, " Siege frowns and then heaps more food onto Gamora's plate. "My Leaf'let had a hard life too." He glanced down at L'wit. She had fallen asleep in his arms and was drooling on his shirt.

Gamora touched the back of her neck, "What does that word mean? My chip doesn't translate it."

"Some words ain't translatable," Kraglin explained, "most a' the time it's a name, but sometimes it describes an experience or an idea there ain't a word for in your native tongue."

"Leaf'let is a bit of an inside joke," Drak'ma sighs and leans back. "The Badoon nobles refer to my crew as a pack of cald'ra, an apex predator native to our homeworld. The term Leaf'let comes from an old story about a princess who is raised by cald'ra and becomes feral. No longer a girl but something else entirely." Gamora's eyes wide and curious. Drak'ma sips her drink.

"Before the farms, you'd call any hatchling who wandered the streets alone, a Leaf'let." The drifter's first mate, Edifn, added.

Gamora frowned, "Did L'wit's parents abandon her too? Is that why she's a cabin girl?"

"Donut head, stop bothering them with all your questions," Kraglin scolds her softly.

"But I wanna know!"

Siege smiles uneasily, "It's alright, I don't mind. It isn't a happy story, though."

"I can handle it! Please, tell me! Please!" She looks between Drak'ma and Siege expectantly. Drak'ma tosses back the rest of her drink and thumps Siege on the back as she retreats to the bar.

Siege looked down at his sleeping daughter. "We had raided a medical vessel for supplies. During the perimeter sweep, I found her hiding with the corpse in the freezer. She had nearly frozen to death. The doc said the chance she'd survive was low, but we were chasing a prize... so it was my call." He sighs deeply and uneasily at the memories. He brushes her hair out of her eyes. "I carried her back to our ship."

"Oh." Gamora murmurs. The rest of the table had gone quiet. She pushes her food around on her plate, suddenly not feeling very hungry anymore. "Why–why were there corpses?"

Siege glances at Yondu and then back at Gamora. He's uncertain if he should answer that. Kraglin abruptly stood up, "No more questions. You're causin' trouble so it's bedtime for you, donut head."

"What? No!" She wailed. "Nobody else has a bedtime!"

Yondu slammed his drink down on the table startling Gamora, "Don't be givin' Kraglin lip, girly. Scoot on up ta bed." He nodded towards the elevator. She scrunched up her face in a pout but allowed Kraglin to lead her away.

~~•˖✧•✯•✧˖•~~

Kraglin and the rest of the ravagers are wearing coveralls, advertising a fake air company. The same fake company logo is slapped on the side of the van they had rented. The air canisters themselves were real, but they weren't filled with air. They were going to poison the air supply of an expensive-looking merchant ship, named the Eostrix. Gamora stood in the back of the truck. Kraglin had told her not to wear her ravager jacket so instead, she was wearing a thick blanket as a cape. The snowfall was heavy today, and it was freezing. Gamora passes another canister to Horuz. He loads it onto a cart. "Pop quiz," Kraglin points across the docks to a nearby ship, "What's that guy's job?"

She watches a man check things off his clipboard while the longshoremen unload cargo. Gamora hums thoughtfully and sways back and forth. "He's a… uh, a high ranking officer. The second mate, maybe?"

Kraglin nods, "Good. Keep going, what else do you know?"

Gamora drones out confidently, "The second mate is sometimes the chief medical officer. They manage all the navigation systems, and help you oversee all cargo handling."

He gives his nod of approval. "Alright, Here's a tricky one. What does Siege do?" Gamora starts to flounder, uncertain of the right answer. "I'll give you a hint. They have extra responsibilities on privately owned ships, but there isn't one on our crew."

She brings Horuz another canister as she thinks it over. "A Quartermaster?" She guessed.

"Hey, look at you, catching on fast." Kraglin nudged her with his elbow and she giggled. "Ya know what he does?" She shakes her head. "He's the highest-ranking member on the ship, after the captain. He can veto any of the captain's decisions when they're chasing a prize, and he handles punishment of the crew."

"Kinda like what Jazinda does?" Gamora asked.

Kraglin makes a face, "Not at all like what Jazinda does."

"Yeah, I don't get paid to tell the captain to go fuck himself. I provided that service for free," Jazinda says smugly.

Gamora giggles and Kraglin rolls his eyes. "I would pay you to stop, " he mutters under his breath.

Jazinda snorts, "I'm sorry but how many children have you trafficked since I got here?"

Horuz lifts an air canister onto his shoulder. "Didn'tcha almost hand Gamora over to Ego too?"

"Damn it, " Jazinda hissed under her breath.

Kraglin laughs cruelly, "You thought we forgot about that."

She forced a fake laugh, "You did forget."

He fake laughed back but louder. "You're a hypocrite. With no moral high ground."

Horuz and Gef finished loading up the cart. Jazinda runs a hand through her hair as she shapeshifts into the Eostrix’s second mate. "At least I don't drop to the ground to lick the Captain's boot every time he opens his mouth. Ha Ha!" Horuz pushes the cart towards the ship and Jazinda trails after him.

"I don't–I do not!" Kraglin stammered in outrage. "I get paid more than you! Ha ha ha!"

"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Jazinda yells.

"Ha! Ha!" Both Kraglin and Gef yell back at her. "What are we laughing at?" Gef asked.

Kraglin points at the Eostrix. "Get outta here, Gef!" He hurried after the others. Kraglins sighs loudly and looks over at Gamora. "Ya don't think I kiss up to the Captain, right?"

She had grown bored of their petty argument about nothing and had taken to braiding her doll's hair. "I dunno, I'm 8."

"You are 8," Kraglin conceded. He hopped into the bed of the truck and sat down next to Gamora. He takes a deep breath and glances around the docks. "What's his job?"

Gamora leans out of the truck to get a better look. Someone is fixing the hull of the ship but they aren't wearing a uniform. She frowns, "He isn't part of the ship's crew."

"No, but his job is just as important."

She glances back at Kraglin, curiously, "Is he an engineer, like Horuz?"

"Yeah, kinda. He stays planetside waiting for ships that need repairs to come into port. Engineers like him have a special nickname, ya know it?" Gamora shakes her head. "Ship's husband."

She giggled, "That's silly."

"Ya know what they call the big guns on the side of the ship," He asks.

"Nuh-uh."

"We call them the Gunner's Daughters, " Kraglin replies in deadpan.

Gamora giggles again and wrinkles her nose. "You're teasing me! That's not true."

"It is true. You can ask Horuz when he gets back, " he replied. Horuz pushes the cart back over to the truck, Jazinda walks ahead of them. She looks like herself again. Gamora sets her doll down carefully and was quick to fetch more canisters.

Horuz takes the first one and then looks at Kraglin, "We got company."

Gamora froze when she heard a voice she didn't recognize. “You folks, replacing the Eostrix’s air supply?” They've got a thick central Xandarian accent.

"Keep quiet," Kraglin instructed Gamora before hopping off the truck and walking over to them. He tapped his clipboard on the canisters. “Yes sir, a week's worth of air.” Gamora bit her lower lip silently praying the stranger would have the good sense to turn around and walk away.

“Really now?” The stranger drawls. Horuz's hand moved toward his concealed weapon. Gamora goes tense.

Jazinda lowers her voice to a whisper. "You need to cry."

"What?" Gamora blinks at her.

"You need to cry, or they will kill him."

She felt her heart skip a beat. She shook her head, "I–I can't. I don't know how."

Jazinda grabs a bottle and splashes water on Gamora's face. Jazinda lifts her out of the truck and sets her down quietly. "You're lost, you've never seen any of us before. Where's your doll?" Jazinda shoved it into her hands. "If you look cuter they'll be more sympathetic."

"I don't understand." Everything was happening so fast. "I can't lie. I'm not good at it."

"The best lies are lies by omission." Jazinda whispered into her ear. "Tell him a partial truth." She shoved Gamora forward.

She stumbles towards the front of the truck. She can see the stranger now. He's dressed in a bulky winter jacket and boots. He's carrying a blaster. “The Eostrix got a new shipment of air a few days ago.” Gamora gives Jazinda a pleading look to stop the ravagers. She only waves her on.

“Faulty canisters,” Horuz grunted in response, “there was an air leak. They needed replacements.” The other ravagers stepped closer to the Stranger. The threat of violence choked the air.

Gamora wanders out from behind the truck. She tries to remember how Cammi pretended to cry. Gamora hid her eyes in the crook of her elbow and wailed. He's startled by her. Horuz and Gef groan and shoot Gamora irritated looks. But the Stranger's expression fell into one of sympathy. He knelt down and took her hand. “Are you alright, sweetie? Where's your jacket?"

Gamora ignored the questions, and whined loudly, “I miss my mama! I wanna go back to the hotel! It's cold!

He pulls off his winter jacket and wraps it around Gamora. He mutters something untranslatable in Xandarian, "You'll freeze out here, crying like that." There's a Nova badge and a gun on his belt. “I'm a security officer around here. I can help you find her.” The Nova picked her up gently. He turned back to the bewildered crew and pointed at Kraglin, “Don't move.”

"Of course, Officer. Whatever you need, " he replies dryly. The Nova turned and carried Gamora away. She looked over his shoulder at the crew, Jazinda leaned against the truck and smiled.

The Nova's name was Eiffel. He was a cadet. He carried Gamora back to their small outpost isolated at the edge of the forest. Inside, there was a front room with an empty desk for a receptionist, and a window in the wall peering back into the main office. Where there is a small lounge area and two desks. There are three rooms adjacent to the main area, presumably a kitchen, a bathroom, and a room with jail cells.

Eiffel disappears into one of the adjacent rooms leaving Gamora alone. One of the desks is cluttered with picture frames and files, the other looks untouched. She sits behind the empty desk. Gamora spins around in her chair so her pigtails whip behind her. She held up her robot so she looked like she was flying.

A flurry of snow follows a massive half Badoon woman through the front door. Gamora stopped spinning. The woman sheds her winter coat revealing the Nova badge on her belt. The Nova stalks across the room and taps her knuckles against the desk. "You're in my seat." She says in Imperial Badoon.

Gamora eyes her over suspiciously, her shoulder rising towards her ears. "I don't see your name on it." The Nova spins the nameplate around on the desk. It reads: Officer All'ura. "Oh."

All'ura clicks her tongue, "Move it." Gamora quickly slides out of her chair and scurried over to the couch.

Eiffel reappears carrying two mugs. He smiles innocently, "Hey, Commander! We have a guest right now. She's from out of town." He handed the mug to Gamora. "She got separated from her mother."

All'ura switched to Standard. "I'm sure she did," her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Try not to scare her too badly," Eiffel says with a sigh. All'ura narrows her eyes and snarls in response. "Yeah, don't do that." Gamora sips her mapple cider and tries to warm herself up. She keeps a cautious eye on All'ura, she was uncertain what to make of the abrasive Nova officer.

Eiffel scrounged through his desk and pulled his transmitter out of a drawer. "Do you know your mom's number, kiddo? Someone you can call to come get you?"

"Uh-huh," She nodded, and he handed her his transmitter. She stares at the screen for a minute as she tries to remember Yondu's number. She carefully punched in the number and then held the transmitter to her ear. Eiffel sat down on the couch across from her, watching intently. Gamora felt the blood rush in her ears.

It rang once and then, "Yeah, who is this?"

"Hi," She bites her tongue to keep from saying his name. "I'm at the Nova outpost on the edge of town. Can you come pick me up, please?"

"The Nova outpost… What the fuck are you doing there?!" Gamora must have winced when Yondu raised his voice because Eiffel suddenly looked concerned. "I toldja those meatheads wouldn't be any help!"

"Uh…" She fidgeted uncomfortably. Her heartbeat felt so loud. Eiffel's eyes were boring holes into her. She wasn't saying anything, she needed to say something. Was he getting suspicious? Did he know that she lied? Would he be angry? Would he throw her in jail for helping Kraglin and Jazinda? She felt like she was going to be sick. "I don't know what to do, I'm scared, I'm scared," Her voice came out in a panicked squeak.

"You're safe here, sweetie," Eiffel knit his eyebrows in concern but it only made Gamora feel worse. 

Yondu's voice suddenly cut through her panic, "Are they listening? Yes or no."

"Yes," she replies softly.

"Shit." He mutters under his breath. "Can ya tell me why you're at the Nova outpost? Yes or no."

"No."

"Will they let you leave? Yes or no."

"I-I–I don't know. No, I dunno," She felt tears spring to her eyes and tried to rub them away. She didn't want to be abandoned with the Nova. Her breathing hitched in her chest.

"Take a deep breath, kiddo. Nice and easy," He talks her through it gently. She inhales slowly, feeling some of the tension leave her shoulders. "Sit tight. I'll be there soon."

Yondu's voice was the only reassurance she had, when he hung up, she felt her heart sink into her stomach. She set the transmitter down and startled to sniffle. "Oh, sweetheart, you're okay," Eiffel tried to reassure her. "Somebody is coming to pick you up, right?" She nodded, hugging her doll tight. "Then there's no reason to get worked up. Can I get you anything? More cider?" Gamora nodded again. He picked up her mug and went back into the kitchen.

"That was a helluva performance, eh," All'ura comments dryly after Eiffel leaves the room. She was digging the dirt out from under her fingernails with a blade. "The other girls just sit there and look helpless. Eiffel's a big softy, not a lot between the ears either."

Gamora watches her cautiously. "Whaddya mean other girls?"

All'ura rolls her eyes, "Please, I know Drak'ma sends one of yous to distract us every time she wants to do business in broad daylight. She had me do it too."

Gamora pursed her lips, "Wait you were one of the drifter's girls? But then why are you a–"Eiffel returned with more hot cider for Gamora, ending the conversation there. She curled up on the couch, cradling the warm mug in her hands, and waited.

Yondu finally showed up with Gamora's ravager jacket. He rang the bell on the receptionist's desk until Eiffel hurried into the front room, and took the bell away from him. “Can I help you, sir?” He asked.

“Yeah, I'm here for the girly.” Yondu leaned forward on the desk. "I'm uh… her legal guardian." Gamora jumped up from the couch and ran over to the window.

Eiffel looked Yondu over skeptically. Yondu had the foresight to dress like a civilian. He was wearing a heavy winter coat and snow boots. “Can I see some ID, please?” Yondu rolled his eyes and slapped his wallet onto the counter. Eiffel glanced over what Gamora assumes is a fake ID. "What's the girl's name?"

"It's Gamora," he replies bluntly. He spotted her peeking at him through the window and waved. Eiffel glances back at Gamora as she smiles and waves at Yondu.

Eiffel visibly relaxed, he scratched the back of his head and smiled. "Sorry for the trouble, just a formality." He opened the door leading into the main office, "Pumpkin, your dad's here for you." Gamora ran past Eiffel and tackled Yondu in a hug, she nearly dropped her doll in the process.

Gamora grabbed onto Yondu's hand, he winced slightly as she pulled him towards to exit. "Okay! Come on! Let's leave now, Captain Yon–"Eiffel was still listening, "–Dad." Gamora felt her face flush.

Yondu snickers, "Hold it. Ain't goin' nowhere til ya put your jacket on, girl." She let Yondu help her into her jacket. The metal ravager badge, usually pinned over her chest had been removed. Yondu opened the door, and there was a gust of icy air.

"Bye Mr. Eiffel," she waved politely at him as they left the outpost.

The heavy snowfall makes it difficult to see, and snow piled up to Gamora's knees. The harsh wind stung her skin and froze her hair. With every heavy breath, the freezing air makes her lungs ache. Her muscles involuntarily tensed up trying to shake off the cold. She decided she hated snow. Gamora started to fall behind Yondu. "Girly, stop dawdling!"

"I'm s-sorry. I'm going as f-f-fast as I can." Her teeth were chattering. She takes another painful gulp of air. The snow kept collecting on her eyelashes and she had to brush it away. At least her hands were warm. Yondu sighed irritably and reached out towards her. Gamora flinched, expecting to be slapped. To her surprise, she was gingerly plucked out of the snow and held tight against his chest.

She found his presence much more comforting than she ever dared admit. He usually wouldn't hold her like this, not out in the open where the crew might see them. Yondu wouldn't hug her or let her hold his hand either. The only time he ever touched Gamora was to punish her. The one exception seemed to be when he carried her. Although, normally he held her against his hip with his arm around her waist. The way one might carry a heavy sack of flour. Even that was often prefaced with something like: "Gamora is behaving poorly and needs to be dragged away somewhere." She didn't understand the rules. Why was it only okay to touch her when she was behaving poorly?

When they finally reach the bar Gamora is so happy she could cry. Warmth sweeps over them, the instant they walk inside. Jazinda was playing cards with Kraglin, Oblo, and Tullk. Kraglin was holding a beer against his abdomen. Yondu sets Gamora down and takes off his jacket. She pulls off her gloves and shakes the snow from her hair. "Yondu the frost bit me! I hate the snow!"

Yondu tosses his jacket over the back of a chair and sits down. "I just bought'cha new gloves."

"Not my hands, my ears!" She was borderline whining, "Can you do the thing where you rub your hands together, please?"

"Like this," He claps his hands and then rubs them together quickly, before gently pressing his palms against her ears.

She puts her hands on top of his. His calloused hands were hot to the touch. "Uh-huh."

"Aw, ain't that sweet, " Oblo cooed at them mockingly. "You soft on all the lil' girls, Cap'n?"

Yondu let go of Gamora and shot a glare in Oblo's direction. Tullk interjects before Yondu could even say anything. "Ya moron, ya gotta be soft on girls! They're sensitive."

Horuz rolled his eyes, "She ain't sensitive. It's an act."

"I dunno," Gef said, "She does cry an awful lot."

"Anybody who cries as much as she does ought to have drowned in tears by now," Oblo said mockingly. Gamora blushed, suddenly feeling overwhelmed by all the attention. She ducks behind Yondu.

"Aw, you've gone an' scared her off. Now she's hiding from us," Tullk chuckles.

Kraglin shakes his head, "Oblo's ugly mug scares all the girls." That earned a few chuckles from the others. Gamora was thankful that attention turned away from her.

"That's a lotta talk, considering the only woman who would sleep with you has to be paid ta do it," Oblo retorted. They continued to rag on each other, while Kraglin shuffled the cards and started a new game. Jazinda got up to get a drink from the bar. Yondu pulled an empty chair over to get Gamora to stop clinging to him. She sat down and held her doll in her lap.

Horuz narrows his eyes at Gamora. "You bought her a doll." He got up from the bar and stalked over to their table. "She's gotcha wrapped around her little finger! She gets special treatment, cause you're soft on her!"

"Wait, hang on!" Jazinda scoffs and then snickers, drawing the attention of the other ravagers. "Are you jealous of an 8-year-old girl? You're throwing a temper tantrum because the captain didn't buy you a shiny new toy."

"Oh, that's attractive, " Hazira chimed in.

"Sounds like a real man ta me," Moyra giggled.

Horuz scowls, and looks around nervously, "What? I–No."

Jazinda tilts her head to the side, grinning maliciously, "Did you want the Captain to put you over his knee and spank you too?"

Yondu choked on his drink, nearly spitting it across the table. Kraglin's eyes went wide. The others erupted into laughter and jeering. Horuz yelled for them to "shut up" but the damage was already done. There was no undoing what had happened. Horuz snarled and lunged at Jazinda. He throws a punch, "You son of a shlag!"

Jazinda sidestepped him and the punch went wide. She kicked his foot, throwing him off balance. He topples forward and hits the ground. Jazinda laughed, which only egged the other men on. Horuz snarled up at her, as his reputation was crumbling around him. Then she took a breath and announced, "Udonta treats Gamora differently because she's a little girl and not a grown man. It's not special treatment." She turned her head slightly to look back at the other ravagers. A dangerously wicked smile curling on her lips. "Anyone who thinks Udonta is playing favorites is a jealous, whiny, moron!"

The other men unanimously raised their voices in agreement. Horuz spits another curse under his breath and retreats towards the elevators. Kraglin watched Jazinda in utter shock.

Things began to calm down after Horuz left. Jazinda sighed contentedly, "Ah, I needed that. I feel much better now." She flopped down into the empty chair across from Kraglin and Yondu. She puts her feet up from her table and takes a long swig from her cold beer. Kraglin and Yondu continued to stare at her. "You boys have something you want to say?"

Kraglin regained his wits first. "Yeah, what in the stars was that?"

Jazinda shrugged, "It would have been a problem if Horuz got the other men all riled up over favoritism, right? Well, I fixed it for you. You're welcome."

Yondu and Kraglin shared an uneasy look. Gamora frowned, "I don't understand."

Jazinda took another swig from her beer and then licked her lips. "I got everyone to bully him, and anyone who thinks like him, until they stop being mean." She gestured at the deck of cards on the table. "Are we gonna play or are you boys too afraid you'll lose again?"

Kraglin rolled his eyes and dealt out the cards. Tullk scoffed, "Now that the Captain's here, your winning streak is over."

Oblo chimed in, "Aye! I don't even care about winning anymore! I just want to see you lose."

Jazinda snickered and raised an eyebrow at Yondu. "It is kind of boring. I could use a challenge, if you're up for it, boss."

He sighs, "Can't a man drink in peace?"

"No!" Oblo and Tullk replied. Kraglin held up the deck of cards, silently asking if Yondu wanted to be dealt in. He shrugs in defeat and rolled his eyes. Kraglin dealt him in.

"Can I play too?" Gamora asked eagerly.

"Ya need units ta play, donut head, and you're broke," Kraglin explained.

"Oh," She fidgeted with her doll, and leaned on Yondu's shoulder to watch him play instead. From what she could observe, it appeared to be Gamora's least favorite kind of game. One where you were supposed to sit still and be quiet. The others would throw cards down on the table. Occasionally someone grimaces and cash changes hands. Gamora found the whole thing terribly boring. It's Yondu's turn again when Gamora noticed something odd. "What happened to your hand? It looks like it hurts." His knuckles were bruised and swollen.

"Ah that's nothin'. It doesn't hurt none,” Yondu grumbles dismissively. Without warning, Gamora grabbed his hand. "Shit!" He jumped back yanking his hand away.

Jazinda realized what had happened and burst into laughter. "I thought ya said it didn't hurt!" She said mockingly.

Gamora blinked in surprise. "I'm sorry."

"I didn't think she was gonna do that!" He snarled at Jazinda and shook out his hand. Oblo and Tullk tried to suppress their own laughter.

Jazinda cackled and called over her shoulder, "Hey Doc! The boss broke his hand on my rock-hard abs!" Brahl looked alarmed and hurried over to their table.

Kraglin throws Jazinda an exasperated look, "You're enjoying this too much."

Tullk chuckled and rubbed his chin, "I think dae last time the Cap'n broke his hand was durin' that beatin' he gave Huhtar."

Yondu tried to hide his hand from the doctor by shoving it in his pocket but Brahl grabbed his arm roughly. He forced Yondu to show him. "I toldja I'm fine! I'd know if it was broken," Yondu insisted.

Brahl inspected Yondu's knuckles carefully. Much to Yondu's embarrassment, Brahl had him touch each finger to his thumb and then make a fist while the others watched. Gamora's expression twisted with concern, "What happened? Is he gonna be okay?"

Oblo grinned wickedly and Kraglin sank lower in his seat as if trying to hide his face behind his cards. "What happened was, his mates got in trouble," Oblo intoned mockingly. "Cause they let that Nova walk off wit'cha, with no way of gettin' ya back."

"What?" Gamora looked between Jazinda and Kraglin, clearly confused.

"Didn't I tell ya everyone gets beat when they mess up? It's just how these things are handled." Kraglin grumbled, his face slightly flushed. "It ain't a big deal," He says in Oblo's direction.

Gamora's mouth dropped open slightly in shock. It never occurred to her that Grown-ups got punished too. Jazinda sighed and rubbed her thumb against the lip of her bottle. "I shouldn't have pushed you to distract the Nova without an escape plan." She shrugs irritably, "I had to distract people when I was your age, I always left on my own. I didn't think–"

"Yeah, you weren't thinking." Yondu interjected bluntly, "Y'know she's a shit liar and ya sent her to the fuckin' Nova? She's just a little girl."

Jazinda huffed and crossed her arms. "So was I."

"I'm sorry, Gamora. I was in charge, I shouldn't have left you behind," Kraglin says quietly and earnestly.

Gamora tackled him in a hug and shook her head. Kraglin winced slightly, as she slammed into his chest. "It's okay, Yondu came and got me."

Tullk grabs her by the collar and pulls her off him. "Easy, lamb. Be gentle."

She let go. Her lower lip stuck out in a pout, "I'll go get you an ice pack!" She announced before hurrying off towards the bar. Kraglin hears Oblo snickering and rolls his eyes.

"Two of your fingers are dislocated. No breaks from what I can tell without X-ray," Brahl grumbled. Yondu grunted as Brahl jammed his fingers back into place. "This would not happen if you did not insist on carrying out such punishments with your bare hands."

"I toldja I ain't using the damn cat." Yondu pulled his hand away from Brahl. "I prefer ta know how much pain I'm inflicting."

"At least wear protective gloves!" The doctor turned to look at Kraglin and Jazinda, "I want all three of you to get X-rays and an examination when we return to the Eclector. In the meantime, if you have any trouble breathing seek me out immediately. Am I understood?" They mutter begrudging confirmations to make Brahl stop fussing over them and go away. "Children, the lot of you," Brahl grumbled as he walked away.

"That was some bullshit you said," Jazinda scoffed at Yondu. "You don't care how much pain you're inflicting. I saw the security footage of you kicking Gamora in the side as punishment. You probably cracked her ribs, but you didn't feel a fucking thing." Yondu stiffened, his brow furrowed slightly. Jazinda waves her bottle at Kraglin. "He had to take care of her for weeks after that." Yondu looked at his first mate inquiringly but Kraglin refused to meet his gaze. He flicked the corner of one of his cards and shifted uncomfortably. Jazinda downs the last of her beer. "I bet the real reason is simpler."

He rolled his eyes at her, "Ya don't know a damn thing about me."

She folded her arms across her chest. "Dear old dad beat me with his belt when I was a kid, even now I can't stand the sound of a belt buckle being undone." She leaned forward on the table, "And the whip–the cat, whatever you wanna call it, has a very distinctive sound."

"Fuck off," Yondu growled back. Jazinda chuckled and got up from the table to get another drink. Yondu touched his prosthetic fin nervously, the metal was cool to the touch. "I really don't like that woman."


	18. For Whom the Bell Tolls

Peter lets out a low whistle as he stares out the window of a government building. Outside, Thanos' fleet of warships cast the entire world into darkness as they eclipsed the sun. The city around them was desolate. The Jackboots killed everything that moved and burned anything that didn't. The corpses were all being piled up in a field outside the city. Peter could see the mound of bodies begin to rise above the trees. Thanos called it a Monument to Death. Sanctuary II floated over the corpse pile, purple energy flares out of the engines. Through the cloud cover, it looked like a ghostly skull with purple glowing eyes looming over the city. "Ugh, talk about tacky," Peter muttered.

Nebula feigns irritation, "I'm beginning to believe that you are physically incapable of going two minutes without speaking."

"You know, I'm right," Peter continues as if Nebula had nothing at all. He gestures with his gun at the pile of corpses. "It looks like the skull is gonna eat all those dead guys. It's stupid."

Nebula glances at it from the corner of her eye. "It is a bit of an eyesore." She admits hesitantly.

"Exactly!" Peter continues to wave his gun around as he rants. "And all these dumb ships make it impossible to see anything! Like what's the point? It's overkill!"

"It's a warning to those that would oppose us, and a vast display of power," Nebula replies flatly.

"Okay sure, " Peter scoffs, "But who's going to be impressed by that? No one's going to look at this and think: Wow, Thanos' dick must be huge!"

"Peter! You can't say that!" Nebula wrinkles her nose in an attempt to keep from smiling.

Peter shrugs, "they can cut my tongue out again, it was worth it."

"How do I keep getting stuck with you on missions?" Nebula asks herself while staring at the ceiling. "How?"

Allace's voice comes through the open comms channel on Peter's transmitter. "Alright, that oughta do it!"

"Thank the stars," Nebula mutters.

Allace talks over her, "The bunker's alarm system is down. Ophid and Miertra are sweeping the first three floors, you two should sweep the rest."

"That sounds fair, " Nebula replies. She doesn't wait for a response before turning her transmitter off. They get in the elevator and she punches the button for the sub-basement. The elevator lurches down and Peter's ears pop.

"Oh, and I can't deactivate the–the...here…areful, alright?" The transmission starts to cut out inside the elevator.

"Crap," Peter waves his transmitter around wildly, attempting to get it to work better. "Allace can you repeat that?"

"Peter I… hear you…. Elevator?" Allace replies.

"Allace? Allace?" He elongates her name as he shakes his transmitter. Nebula gets annoyed and takes it away from him. "Hey! That was important! Haven't you ever seen a horror movie before?"

Nebula stuffs Peter's transmitter into her bag and rolls her eyes. "You know that I haven't."

"Allace has some kind of important information but can't share it with us because the technology stops working. We could be walking into a trap! Or there'll be a terrifying monster, like zombies!" He explains with an intensity that Nebula finds concerning.

"Zombies?" She quirks an eyebrow.

"Y'know, undead mindless creatures with a hunger for brains." Peter does his best zombie impression. He reaches out towards, his hands going limp at the wrists and groans. "Brains!"

"Don't touch me." Nebula grabs his arm and throws him into the wall. 

Peter grins and tackles Nebula to the ground. "Peter!" She squeals.

"Brains!" They roughhoused together. Peter tries to put Nebula in a headlock, but she throws her elbow into his side. Peter grunts and lets go of her, "Ow! Be gentle!" Nebula scrambles backward. She kicks Peter in the chest. He grabs her foot and drags her closer, climbing on top of her. Nebula throws a punch, and Peter blocks it. Neither of them notice the elevator doors slide open.

He sticks out his tongue and dangles a loogie over her. "Peter! Don't you dare!" Nebula shrieks and slams her palm up into his jaw. He only giggles in response...

Someone coughs. They both turn to look up at the two Jackboots staring down at them. "Uh, how did you kids get in here?" Nebula turned slightly purple.

Peter sat upright. He draws his weapon and activates his mask, he giggles again. "Hi!" 

"They're not kids!" The Jackboot shoves their friend back in a vain attempt to protect them, and raises their gun. "Those are Thanos' dogs of war! Kill the–"

Peter puts a round between the eyes of the first Jackboot. "And Buh-bye!"

The other Jackboot is momentarily stunned. Nebula punched Peter hard enough to throw him into the elevator wall. In a fury, she whips her hatchet into the remaining Jackboot's skull. Then she throws a glare at Peter, "You are unbelievable! I hate you."

Peter blows a raspberry, "You do not." He stands up and dusts himself off. "You're just throwing a fit cause you're embarrassed."

"I do not throw fits," Nebula grumbles as she puts one foot on the corpse's chest and yanks the hatchet out of their skull.

"Sure, " Peter replied flatly. Nebula steps over the corpse and stalks down the hallway. Peter trails after her.

"The sound came from over here!" A group of Jackboots round the corner and stop abruptly when they see Nebula and Peter. "Shit, goddamn it. That's the Reaper of Rho, she's a monster. We're all gonna die!"

Peter raised his gun. "Are they just gonna ignore me because you're here? That's so rude! I'm just as dangerous as you are."

"Are you though?" Nebula raises one eyebrow, with a smug little smile. 

The Jackboots within arm's reach scramble for cover while the others draw their weapons. Peter opens fire and Nebula lunges at them. She drives her blade through the eye of her enemy as she tackles them to the ground. She quickly guts one Jackboot before slicing the throat of another. Two Jackboots made a break for the exit. They believe that distance will protect them from Nebula's wrath. She throws her hatchet and takes his head clean off. The other remaining guard aims their gun at Nebula. Peter puts two rounds through their head before they can pull the trigger. "Boom! Saved your life!" Peter grins smugly beneath his mask.

"You did not! I had it!" Nebula insisted as she collected her weapons.

"Did too!" Peter hums as he reloads his gun. "That makes 5 for me. How many are you at?"

Nebula picks up her hatchet and flicks the blood off of it, she sighs irritably. The door to the stairwell suddenly opens. A Jackboot screams at the sight of the corpses. They drop their coffee. Peter and Nebula exchange glances before charging them. He trips her when she lunges at the Jackboot. "Intruders! We have intruders!" The Jackboot yells into their transmitter as they run down the stairs in a blind panic. Peter puts a bullet through the Jackboot's knee. They take a tumble down the stairs. Nebula scrambles to her feet and throws her elbow into Peter's back. She slings one of her hatchets into the Jackboot's throat. They make a strangled gurgling noise as they collapse on the floor.

"That makes 6," Nebula announced smugly. Peter huffed and stood up. He plucks the transmitter off the corpse and clips it to his belt. He leaves it turned on so he can hear what the enemy is saying about them. The door to the 4th floor is thrown open, and a dozen guns are aimed at Nebula. "About to be 7."

They fight their way through the 4th and 5th floors of the bunker, yelling out their kill count as they go. The enemy does their best to track Nebula's movements but there was no surprising her. They slaughter everyone they meet. Efficiency was prioritized over stealth because Voros was cooking dinner tonight and nobody wanted to be late. 

Allace unlocked the doors and disabled the alarms for them from her position in their security headquarters. Nebula still avoided the security cameras, despite the fact that Allace should have been able to disable them. Thanos was insistent that good assassins weren't caught on camera and left no witnesses. Voros had mused once that it was a sight against Thanos' ego when they were singled out by the News stations as the sole perpetrators instead of being an extension of Thanos' power and influence.

As they were finishing sweeping the 5th floor, the transmitter on Peter's belt started making noise. "The Reaper of Rho is heading towards the west stairw–no. No. She's headed this way. I-I–"

Peter rounds the corner and spots the guy hiding in the corner. "Boo!"

The Jackboot screams, they manage to shoot Peter three times while scrambling backward. His bulletproof vest stops two of the bullets. The third grazes his shoulder, it stings a bit but heals fast enough. "Wh-what the hell? What is wrong with you?!”

"I have 8 sisters, " Peter replies in deadpan before shooting the Jackboot in the head.

"Hey, don't blame that on me!" Nebula yells over her shoulder. She cuts down two Jackboots with her hatchet. "You were like this before we adopted you."

Peter brows a raspberry. The transmitter on Peter's belt makes more noise, "No! There in the stairwell moving towards the 5th–Agh!" Two more Jackboots back out of the door to the stairwell. One is bleeding badly and collapses on the floor.

"Mine!" Nebula throws her hatchet at the survivor. The Jackboot gasps. Before the blade meets their head a glowing red chain whips out from the open door behind them. It wraps around their neck. It's hot enough to blacken the skin. The Jackboot screams as they're yanked back into the stairwell. Childish laughter echoes as the gunshots fade.

Their siblings are standing on the other side of the door. "Ophid, hey!" Peter hurries over to meet them.

Ophid coils up their chain, as they exhale the flames in their eyes and on their tendrils extinguish. Miertra walks down the stairs behind them. He drops his rifle and lets it dangle off his shoulder by the strap. Ophid smiles, "Hey! We already finished searching on the upper floors. We tried to call you but you wouldn't answer."

Peter shoots Nebula a look and she shrugs, "Transmitters are annoying." She shifts her gaze to Ophid, "You stole my kill."

They raised their chin and narrowed their eyes. "I saw 'em first. That makes 27 for me. How many are you at?"

20\. "I don't see why that matters." Nebula brushes past Ophid as they make their way down to the last floor. They took the lead while Miertra and Peter walked in the back.

"Peter, do you have any more 45's?" Miertra swayed nervously. "Ophid said to ask."

"Sure, I always bring extra." Peter rifles through his bag and pulls out a spare magazine. He hands it over to Miertra, and they quickly replace the magazine in their rifle. Their jacket shifted slightly. Peter could see the yellow stuffed animal hiding in the inner pocket of Miertra's jacket. Peter bites back a grin, "You brought Ducky with you?" Ophid glances back at them curiously.

Miertra holds his jacket closed, "Shut up! He makes me feel safe."

"I didn't mean it like that, " Peter holds up his hands defensively. "You should keep Ducky inside your bulletproof vest. He'll be safer there."

"Peter used to bring his plastic music box with him on missions, " Nebula comments lightly.

"It's a walkman, not a music box."

"I remember that!" Ophid chimes in, "You were so sad the first time it got shot on a mission. Kekallie had to carry you all the way back to the ship, cause you wouldn't stop crying until Allace and Voros fixed it."

Peter turns pink, "Dude, not cool!"

"I thought it was cute, you loved that old thing so much." Ophid chuckled at the thought. They skip down the steps two at a time. "Why'd'ya stop bringing it on missions?"

"After it was shot, blown up, stabbed, shot again," Peter counts things off on his fingers, "and then stepped on." He shoots a glare in Nebula's direction but she pretends not to notice. "I decided that it would be better if I left it on the ship."

"That's what you get for bringing toys into battle, " Nebula replied coldly.

Ophid cringed when Peter inhaled sharply, "That last one wasn't my fault. You wanted to hurt me." Nebula doesn't try to deny it. They make their way down to the 6th floor in silence. When Miertra is certain the others aren't watching he moves Ducky from his inner coat pocket and tucks it snugly into his bulletproof vest. Only the head of the stuffed animal is peeking out from the collar of his vest, so Ducky could see.

When they step into the hallway there are more Jackboots heading towards them. Ophid's tendrils and eyes light up in flames, and the chain in their hands glows red hot. "See if you can keep up, Neb!" Ophid grins as they begin to swing their chain around. It wraps around the neck of their enemy and slams them into the wall.

"You're the one slowing me down!" Nebula slides under the chain to get up close and personal with the Jackboots. She swings her hatchet. The enemy screams and shoots out bullets sporadically. Miertra and Peter stayed behind Ophid, they kept any of the Jackboots from getting too close to them.

Peter takes down two Jackboots. A bullet knicks his vest and another rips through his thigh. He turns and takes down three more Jackboots. The battle is over in the blink of an eye, it was as brutal as it was fast. Ophid snaps the neck of the only remaining Jackboot. Miertra skirts around the corpses carefully avoiding the puddles of blood and gore. Peter reloads his gun quickly, "I'm at 22!"

"26," Nebula yanks her hatchet out of a corpse.

Ophid extinguishes their flames. They grin and coil up their chain, "32."

Miertra groans and stomps their foot, "How can you tell who you're killing? Everything happens so fast!"

"You get an eye for it, " Ophid shrugs.

They continue down the hallway until it splits off in two different directions. They can hear more Jackboots moving around somewhere nearby. "Should we split up?" Ophid asks.

"We can cover more ground that way," Nebula agreed.

"I wanna go with Mier! Good luck with Neb. She's terrible." Peter grabs Miertra's hand and sprints down the hallway before Ophid could protest. Either of his siblings could have caught up with them easily if they had really wanted to.

Miertra stumbles behind Peter, "Wait, slow down!" He finally stops running once Nebula is out of sight. "Stars, don't be so rough with me," Miertra whines loudly and fixes their jacket.

"Sorry! I wanted to leave before Ophid could guilt me into staying with Neb," Peter explains.

Miertra nods and glares at the ground. "Can you try to keep the bloodshed to a minimum? It upsets my stomach."

Peter chuckles and waves his gun. "We're using the same weapon, Mier." Miertra nods hesitantly. When Peter turns away Miertra's hand flys up to the collar of his vest, he gives his Ducky an affectionate squeeze.

Miertra lets Peter take the lead as they wander deeper into the bunker. There are significantly fewer Jackboots now–since presumably–they were all dead. There are many empty rooms. A fully stocked kitchen, two different common areas, and an office space. They quickly toss the rooms. They throw the furniture away from the walls, checking behind bookshelves and inside closets. While they were searching the office, Miertra paused to look at the picture frames that decorated the old oak desk. Peter was busy pulling all books out of the shelves, looking for any kind of secret panic room. Miertra picked up one frame and stared at it. "Hey, Peter?"

"Hm?" Peter tossed more books over his shoulder onto the growing pile. 

"How are you okay with all this?" Miertra said with his back to Peter.

"Whaddya mean?"

Miertra took a moment to think, his shoulders rising towards his ears defensively as he hung his head. "We're killing people." His voice was softer than a whisper. 

Peter stopped pulling books off the shelf. He turned to look at Miertra, his brow furrowed slightly as he frowned. "I… I don't think it's that simple, Mier."

Miertra finally turned to look at his brother. He was teary eyed and his lower lip was stuck out in a pout. "You mean you don't want it to be simple!" He yelled accusingly.

Peter spotted the picture frame in Miertra's hands. He slowly closed the distance between them. "Everybody on this planet is already a corpse, Mier. They died the moment Thanos got here. If we don't kill them, we'll get in trouble, and then Thanos will just send somebody else to do our job. You know that, right?" Miertra shrugged and then nodded reluctantly. Peter gently grabbed onto the picture frame, but Miertra was still hesitant to let go. "They want to kill you too. We're not people to them, all they see is Thanos' dogs of war. If you give them a chance they'll make you regret it, trust me." Peter sighed bitterly and then lowered his voice, "It's us or them, Mier. If it comes down to it, I'm always going to choose you."

Miertra finally, let go of the frame. "If you say so, Pete." He sniffles and wipes his nose on his sleeve.

Peter tossed the frame onto the pile of junk. "If you try talking to them you'll see what I mean. Mostly they scream and swear at you. Sometimes they beg, not for you to stop but for someone else to save them. It's like we're a hurricane destroying their hometown."

"Why do you keep talking to them, then?" Miertra asked.

"I dunno," Peter shrugged and returned to checking the bookshelf. "Maybe to remind myself, I guess, that they're all just corpses in clothing who want me dead." Miertra sniffles again and Peter forces a smile. "Sorry, uh, you'll get used to it. It's not so bad, honestly! The games make things easier." He pulled another book off the shelf and then paused, "When I was little and I got scared, mom would tell me to sing, cause it's hard to be frightened while you're singing. That helps too." The back of Miertra's hand brushed up against Peter's. He grabbed onto his younger brother's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. They held hands while they finished checking the office.

There was only one room left at the end of the hallway. They stood on either side of the door. "Ready?" Peter grins and cocks his gun.

Miertra pulls the pin out of a flash-bang and rolls it towards the door. It opened automatically. In a fraction of a second, the flash-bang goes off. There are screams from inside the room. Smoke fills the hallway. Peter hums For Whom the Bell Tolls under his breath as he rushes into the smoke. He can't see his enemies but they can't see him either. Peter moves silently. A silhouette moves out of the corner of his eye. Peter lunges at them. The Jackboot puts a round through Peter's chest, they throw up an arm to shield someone, "Get back!" Peter double-taps them in the head.

He hears a gun cock behind him. Peter spins and shoots the enemy in the neck. They choke on their own blood and collapse. There's a muffled scream as the smoke begins to settle. "Stranger now, are his eyes, to this mystery, " Peter sings quietly. The Jackboot scrambles away from Peter as he stalks closer. He puts two rounds through their forehead. "He hears the silence so loud." The smoke had completely cleared, as he surveyed the room. The room appeared devoid of life. Peter knew better. Miertra stood hesitantly outside the doorway, he wanted to help Peter but the large pools of blood made it impossible for him to enter the room. Peter doesn't resent Miertra for it. "Crack of dawn, all is gone except the will to be, " Peter hums the next verse.

There are very few places to hide. He checks under the bed first, then tips the dresser over onto the corpse. It makes a loud thump. There's a surprised gasp followed by a "Shh!" That was far louder than the gasp itself. Peter rolls his eyes and stalks across the room towards the closet.

Allace's voice comes through Miertra's transmitter. "Wait, Peter–"

"For whom the bell tolls, " Peter throws open the closet door. "Time marches on." The target, a corpse in a suit, and another unimportant casualty are cowering there. They only have enough time to take one last gasp. The sharp inhale before a scream. Peter puts two rounds through their heads. "I got the target," Peter calls out to Miertra. He reaches for his transmitter to gloat to Nebula before he remembers that she took it from him at the start of the mission.

Allace's voice cut through Peter's own internal monologue. "Hey, dummy! You're on camera!" Miertra has his gun aimed at a corner of the room.

Peter turns to see the security camera and is filled with cold dread. "Your kidding…" Miertra shoots it down. Peter storms over to Miertra and snaps his transmitter off his belt. "Was it broadcasting? I thought you shut down their security cameras."

Allace replies hesitantly, "I tried to tell you that I couldn't shut off the cameras. It's your own stupid fault for not being careful! You're lucky Mier shot the other ones down for you."

"Thanos is going to kill me! Assassins aren't supposed to get caught," Peter wails.

"It won't be that bad. Neb only got a couple of burns when she got caught, you big hatchling." Peter isn't sure if Allace was trying to insult him or reassure him. "Look, I'll try to find where the footage is being stored and delete it if you stop yelling."

"Okay," Peter says quietly.

Allace blows a raspberry, "I'm not promising anything. A fancy Top-Secret bunker like this probably has back-ups for their back-ups."

Peter sighs loudly and looks at the target. He asks Allace, "Would you tell Ophid that we killed the target? And tell Nebula to bring her hatchet, Thanos wants the target's head."

"Gross, " Miertra wrinkles their nose in disgust.

"Sure thing, Pete," Allace agreed.

Ophid and Nebula met up with them. She was disgruntled about not getting to kill the target herself but her mood brightened when she found out Peter got caught on camera. She chopped the head off the target and they all raced back to the elevator. They kept throwing the severed head between them as they ran. Nobody wanted to hold it for too long. Miertra refused to touch it at all, he could hardly stand the sight of it. Allace met them at the elevator and they left the building.

The outside world was just as desolate as when they left. The city was still in ruin and the people are still dead. The kids begin the long walk back to Thanos' Monument to Death. Ophid stretches their arms out as far as they can and inhales deeply. "Ah, I love being planetside!"

Miertra's nose wrinkles up reflexively. "The air isn't even fresh here. It smells like death."

"I'm sure she's nearby, " Nebula remarks dryly.

Miertra stiffened and their hand went to his vest. Allace blinks, "You decided to bring Ducky along?"

Peter giggles and Miertra pulls his jacket up over his nose to hide from his sibling's judgment. "Leave me alone!" He yelled and then raced ahead of Nebula. "I want to go home!"

Ophid tossed the severed head into Allace's arms and ran after Miertra. "Hey, we can cut through the forest! It'll be faster."

"The forest," Peter says hesitantly, he slows down a step.

"I've only ever seen a forest in pictures before! I wanna find some flowers and a pine cone!" Allace tossed the head over to Nebula and hurried after them. The three of them skip ahead, chatting amongst themselves.

Peter slows to a stop as the treeline comes into view. He can't go in there. He can't, he won't, never ever again. "I think I'm gonna–I'm gonna go…" he realizes that none of his siblings are paying attention to him. Maybe if he just stayed still they would all simply keep walking and leave him behind.

Allace did notice. She calls back over her shoulder drawing the attention of their other siblings. "Peter come on! You'll get in more trouble if you're not with the group when we arrive! You know Thanos hates waiting!"

"I-I-I know…" He stammers glancing around the city for some kind of escape. Something vaguely furry with four legs trots between the rubble. "Holy crap it's a dog!" Peter takes off at a full sprint towards the animal.

"Wait, Peter! No, you… and he's gone. Of course." Allace sighs heavily. "Neb I wanna see the forest could you,"

"I'll go get him." Nebula tossed the head back to Allace before running after Peter.

"And don't be late!" Allace yells.

The dog sees Peter running towards them and takes off sprinting. Peter gives chase through the city. "Peter! Peter, you moron!" Nebula yells as she runs after him. He pretends not to hear her. They run between the abandoned vehicles, moving further away from Thanos with every minute. Peter never catches up to the dog, but Nebula quickly catches up with him.

One moment Peter was running along the sidewalk and the next he was rolling down the street. Nebula had tackled him. They crashed into a lamp post. Peter hits his head hard enough to see spots. Nebula very easily pins him down and sits on him. Peter finds himself staring up at the belly of a warship, and the blurry figure of his sister. "Hey, Neb."

"I have been chasing you for 5 minutes, " Nebula hissed at him between heavy breaths.

"Oh, I didn't hear you, " Peter lied. He closed his eyes to keep the world from spinning. "There was a dog." The dog at this point had realized that Peter was no longer chasing them and had taken to eating grass nearby.

"I see that." Nebula slowly stood up and offered Peter her hand. "We should not keep our father waiting."

Peter frowns, "Do we have to go through the forest?"

"No."

"Okay, " Peter takes Nebula's hand and she pulls him to his feet. Peter dusts himself off. "But I am going to pet that dog first."

"Peter, " She whines irritably.

"I gotta pet the dog, Neb!"

Nebula rolls her eyes when Peter immediately starts chasing the dog again. She watches him run up and down the street while calling out to the dog. Nebula grew more irritated with each passing second until her patience reached its limits. "Attention!" Nebula barks the command with as much authority as she could muster and snaps her fingers.

The dog sat. Peter also snapped to attention. A second later, he realized what had just happened. "Dude, what the hell!"

Nebula tries to hide her snickering, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't think that you would–I was just trying to get the dog–I'm sorry!" Her snickering quickly turns to blatant laughter at his expense.

A few mean-spirited remarks pass through his mind. But he doesn't say anything. He can't remember the last time he heard Nebula laugh at anything. Peter knelt down to pet the dog. Their tail thumped against the ground as Peter scratched behind their ears.

Nebula strolled over once she had stopped laughing. She's trying her hardest to maintain her neutral expression. "Proxima certainly has you well trained, " She comments lightly.

Peter buries his face in the dog's fur as he wraps them up in a hug. "Yeah, whatever. This dog is my new big sister. She's way better than you." After a moment Peter moved on to scratching the dog's ears. "Isn't that right? Are you better than my mean old sister?" The dog licks Peter's face.

Nebula cringed, "That's disgusting."

"She's giving me kisses." Peter giggles and hugs the dog again. "I'm going to call her Nebula 2 or just Nebula for short."

"Don't name it!" Nebula groans loudly. She stomps her foot and looks skyward. She takes a deep breath before pointing across the city towards Thanos. "You got to pet the dog so can we go now? If I'm late because of you–"

"Okay! Okay." Peter sighs dramatically. There was no point in getting in more trouble than he was already in. He patted the dog on the head and said goodbye, the dog licked his face again. Nebula decided she wasn't going to wait for him any longer and started walking back. Peter had to run to catch up with her.

They take the long way back to Thanos' Monument to Death, avoiding the treeline as much as they could. Nebula learned (against her will) about how earth refugees brought their dogs with them when they migrated across the galaxy. They quickly became popular pets and guard animals. Some dogs were genetically modified to survive on different planets. Peter explained all of this as they walked, in an attempt to combat his nemesis: silence.

They ascended the side of the monument to find their other siblings already gathered around Thanos' throne. The severed head lay at his feet. Peter and Nebula are quick to join the other children. "Ah you finally decided to join us, I see." Thanos looks down at them with disapproval. Peter shifts uncomfortably. Merely being in Thanos' presence was enough to make his skin crawl. "I expected this kind of behavior from Peter, but you, Nebula?" She stiffened, unable to look at him. "You are one of the elder children. You should be leading the others by example."

"I'm sorry, dad," Nebula whispers.

Peter felt a surge of guilt that surpassed his fear, "But it was my fault, Neb was only–"

"Silence! I was not speaking with you!" Peter clamped his jaw shut. The other children flinch. "Such insolence…. Your tongue only recently grew back. It would be a shame to lose it again, boy." Peter's stomach turned at the thought. He was frozen in place by fear. Thanos sighs deeply and rubs his brow. "I do not enjoy scolding you like this. Especially when your mother is so close by." He stares off at the horizon and then nods to himself. He lifts Nebula's chin with one finger. "There will be no punishments this week. Your mother's arrival should be a joyous occasion." He touched her shoulder affectionately before addressing them all once more. Peter felt a wave of relief. He wouldn't have to see the inside of the wretched war room for at least another week. "Peter, little Miertra has informed me that it was you who killed the target?" 

"Uh, uh, y-yes, yes, sir," Peter stumbled over the words.

"This thing," Thanos nudged the head with his foot. "Was a political adversary of my associate the King of the Badoon brotherhood. Their death will be a fitting present for his firstborn's upcoming birthday. I do not care for such frivolous events. Since you killed the target, you shall be presenting the gift in my place. You are to behave respectfully, am I understood?" Peter blinked absently. A party? "Am I understood, boy?!" Thanos reiterated forcefully.

"Yeah, yes. Yes, sir. Understood, sir," Peter squeaked. 

Thanos sighed and leaned back in his chair. He covered his mouth with his hand as he studied Peter carefully. The silence weighed heavily on them. Peter fidgets uncomfortably. He wants to leave but they haven't been dismissed yet. Thanos huffed, "Nebula, my dear girl, speak truthfully, do you believe Peter is capable of attending such an occasion alone without causing a ruckus?"

Nebula throws a side glance at Peter. "No, father, I don't. I find his manners severely lacking at the best of times."

"Ophid, do you agree with your sister's assessment?" Thanos asked casually.

Ophid frowned and looked up at their father. "I–uh… I do."

"It is settled then. You two shall also attend to prevent Peter from causing further strife." Ophid's eyes widened slightly and the corners of Nebula's mouth twitched into a smug little smile. Thanos waves a hand at them. "You are dismissed, return to the Guivre."

The kids quietly marched away from Thanos, and once they were out of his sight, burst into giggling and chatting. Ophid and Peter were elated while Nebula did her best to mask her emotions. Allace was obviously disappointed, and Miertra insisted very loudly that he hated parties anyway and thus didn't care if he didn't get to go. They were going to get to attend a party. A real party. One where they wouldn't be expected to fight for their father's amusement. A party thrown by royalty with other kids their age. Peter would get to see prince Lu'viem again. He practically skipped all the way back to their ship.


End file.
